Walter 2
by Awatere11
Summary: Second in the Walter series. School is coming and Taddy is grumpier than usual. Daddy is trying his best and we won't even talk about the trouble coming. Rated for language, smut and my dirty mind.
1. Chapter 1

Chap 1

When Ianto woke one morning, he knew it was going to be one of those days.

The bed was empty, the house was heaving with life, and the girly scream of outrage about the rain could be none other than Owen. Why he had to come so early in the morning was beyond Ianto's ability to comprehend, and now he looked at the alarm clock.

With a curse, he threw back the covers and climbed from the bed. He was halfway towards the bathroom when John burst into the room mid rant and froze. A very naked Welshman was facing him with a look of thunder and the conversation he'd hoped to have fled along with most of the blood from his brain. _Wowsers. Jackie is a lucky boy._

"I'm late!" Ianto snarled as he waited for John's brain to reengage.

"Really? Shit, a girl saying that would have got an entirely different answer just then, eye-candy," John leered.

"SHIT!" Ianto jumped as Jack screamed from the doorway.

"Christ Jack, maybe the neighbours across the way want to join in the conversation?" Ianto snarked, and Jack gaped at him.

"Really? Like they want sound with their viewing pleasure?" Jack waved his hand at his husband's considerable goods, and Ianto looked down with a frown.

"Grow up, Jack. They can't see through the tinted windows and John's seen it before!" Ianto threw over his shoulder as he rushed to the bathroom.

As the sound of the shower started, John beat a hasty retreat and Jack rushed after him, intent on finding out what Ianto had meant by that quip.

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"Did you ask him?" Owen demanded as the men flew into the kitchen.

As the two men shook their heads and glared at each other, Tosh reached between them and pulled a plate from the stack on the bench. They were a new design of white china with a red rosebud pattern that suited Ianto's red kitchen. They also matched the frosted glasses with hand-painted roses that adorned the built-in china cabinet where the pigeonholes had been for the firemen's payslips and such.

The house was almost perfect. Ianto's sweating over every detail had paid off - it was a masterpiece, and Jack was proud of his husband's display of good taste. As he told everyone, "he did choose me so he must have impeccable taste."

"Walter, breakfast, baby!" Tosh called, having noted the time.

Walter burst from the side room with a hiss and a roar, then sat at the table with his hands clasped together. Tosh apparently was the only one in the family who knew how to make blueberry waffles. Anyone else who tried was just being silly, as far as Walter was concerned.

With a whimper of pleasure, he watched her slop a mountain of whipped cream on top of his stack, and he dove in with his fingers.

"We use utensils in this house, Master Caveman Harkness-Jones!" Ianto snarked as he entered coughing, still struggling with his tie. "Who turned off the bloody alarm?"

"I did. Bloody thing woke me up," Jack pouted as Walter ruefully ate with a fork.

"I beg your pardon? What was it supposed to do? Serenade you with a Nat King Cole number?" Ianto huffed, the coffee machine bending to his will as everyone waited patiently for a Ianto Special.

"Shit. School visit!" Jack finally remembered why the alarm had been set, and Ianto smiled softly at his husband.

Jack had been a little forgetful since retiring from the force. He and John had been thinking about going into business together and Ianto had swallowed his pride, thus allowing John back into the house. Probation, not a pardon.

Walter looked up from his breakfast, eagerly nodding as he anticipated his first visit to the school he would be going to when he turned five next month. He couldn't wait.


	2. Chapter 2

Chap 2

After lengthy discussions, the two men had agreed on the nearest school, a state-funded school two blocks from the firehouse. This would mean they could walk with Walter in fine weather and were close if there ever was an emergency.

Ianto thought he may have a problem letting go of his wee man, but to everyone's surprise, Jack was taking it the hardest. The school had put their foot down when he'd tried to insist on a "Nanny Cam" in the classroom though.

The last two years had flown by in a flash of barking, laughter, tears, and a surprise litter of kittens presently residing in the cloakroom cupboard thanks to Janet the Neighbourhood Whore. To say that they had found a common ground when dealing with Walter would have been like saying Obama and Putin were golfing buddies. Where Ianto disciplined and ruled with an iron fist, Jack bribed, cajoled and in most cases, caved into spoiling mode whenever the lip-wobble was employed.

The early arguments were over as Ianto finally decided to accept the fact that he now had two moody, loud, and completely loveable chimpanzees living in his immaculate home just waiting to throw their poo all over his walls and steal anything that wasn't nailed down to scratch their arses with.

Walter had begun to emulate Jack, and now he had the swagger and Harkness snort down pat. Everyone thought it was adorable when he donned his miniature greatcoat and the two "men" strode out to do the shopping as they argued over whose turn it was to push the trolley. Ianto didn't know why this ritual had to be maintained because it always ended with him pushing the trolley and the chimpanzees swinging off the shelves while hooting and shaking food at one another.

Ianto knew Jack was hedging around something, and John seemed just as nervous. This in itself was not an unusual event, but to hear Owen also knew something had Ianto on alert. What were they up to?

As Tosh eagerly accepted her cup with a kiss to his cheek, Ianto was thankful that at least she was there to keep him sane. When her apartment had been flooded in a plumbing mishap two stories above hers, it was a no-brainer that she move in with them until repairs were completed, and in the week since she'd settled upstairs it seemed like she'd always belonged. The only fly in the ointment was Owen.

Ianto knew they were getting closer, but really? Under his roof? After the Mary thing had turned out to be Idris attempting to keep tabs on Ianto by employing one of his "birdies" to befriend Tosh, it had all gone wrong. The moment he had told her that Jack had run Mary through the computer and she was a plant, Tosh had been heartbroken. Ianto didn't doubt there were true feelings, but the dishonest meeting was enough for Tosh. Ianto couldn't work out if Owen was a rebound or just a bit of fun. Now it was the third morning in a row and he realised he should have been paying more attention, too caught up in his own happiness to witness the development of hers. Owen was staying overnight and he now knew they had been a couple for some time. Since they moved to the new house? Before?

John prodded Jack again, and Jack glared a warning. Ianto swallowed a sigh. Yep. Definitely something brewing that they were reluctant to discuss.

"These muppets have something to tell you!" Owen declared as Walter left to get his shoes on.

"It can wait," Jack said in a small voice, and Ianto rolled his eyes.

"Out with it!" Ianto ordered John, knowing he was the weaker of the two.

"I had to register the company and we didn't have an office yet so I used this as the address so this firehouse is now registered as Torchwood 3 – Private Investigations," John blurted in a rush as Jack face palmed.

"Huh?" Ianto was completely dumbfounded.

"Shit. He really does look like a serial killer when he's angry," John murmured to Jack, who groaned as Ianto slowly turned his head to capture him in the Jones Stare.

"Erm, sorry?" Jack squeaked.


	3. Chapter 3

Chap 3

As Ianto sat in the back of the classroom watching Walter on the mat with the other children, he quietly seethed.

How dare they! His home. His private, not even registered in the phonebook, home. The Hallett family had tried to contact him once more before the move with an unpleasant altercation on the front doorstep while Walter hid inside his bedroom thinking it was Johnny come to hurt them. After the death of Marcus they had begun a campaign of bullying in their demands to see Walter.

The raised voices as Ianto and Jack had verbally fought with Mr and Mrs Hallett, accompanied by two of their nephews, had eventually been too much for Myfanwy, who had simply forced the hinges on the garage door and pushed past the two surprised men to threaten the intruders herself. Walter had slept in their bed that night and the two men had agreed to move into the firehouse early, while it was almost complete.

The Halletts didn't know where he had moved to six months ago, and as Jack now rented his house out to Rhia and Gray, they were fresh out of luck. Gray had moved in his stuff while moving Rhia, and since deciding this was his family now, had been scarier than Myfanwy in his protective growling at the door when they had returned for another go. Ianto had seen his sister bloom as Gray showered her with the love and attention she had always deserved. The kids loved him for the difference he made not only to their mother's life but to theirs, as they now had more money and family time than Johnny had ever offered.

Ianto had started feeling safe again. Now this. Torchwood was synonymous with Jack's name in this town. The Hallett family would put it together in no time and the hassling would start again. Ianto dreaded the threats and bullying he had tried to keep from Jack. Now Jack was home, he would not have the time to hide the letters or delete the phone messages as they demanded to see Walter. Ianto's other secret fear was John and Gwen. He had never forgotten what he overheard that night, and wondered what John might do if he felt they were under threat again.

Although there were no sexual undertones to their relationship, Ianto knew he held a spot in John's heart, and it was a dangerous spot to hold. Ianto smiled as he remembered the night of the wedding and a drunken John trying to proposition him in the loo. He had faltered in his slurred proposal at the sight of Ianto's manhood and begun cursing Jack for his good fortune instead. John had declared his loyalty, making Ianto wish he had a sword for the display, and he knew deep down that if he really needed backup, John would be the one who could help him hide a body. Dangerous love.

Walter approached with a painting, and Ianto gasped with delight. He swooned over the bright colours as he declared, "Going on the fridge!"

Walter puffed at the compliment and happily prepared to walk home with his Taddy. School was going to be fun.

As Ianto opened the front gates, Jack sat waiting on the steps. He had stood watching them from the corner then sat, not wanting to appear too anxious, but as Walter flew into his arms laughing and babbling about the day, Jack relaxed. He looked up at Ianto, who smiled softly, and he knew he was forgiven for John's stupidity.

Now all he had to do was break it to Ianto that they had also roped in Tosh.


	4. Chapter 4

Chap 4

It happened sooner rather than later. Barely two days after John had blurted his mistake to Ianto, there was a knock on the door. Ianto was (of course, luck always worked so well for him) in the toilet with a funny tummy. He had been throwing up on and off for a few days. He had put it down to nerves over the impending storm. _Well, deploy the lifejackets. Here we go._

By the time he made it out to the front entranceway, they were already inside.

"I'm your grandma, sweetie," Mrs Harriet 'Hattie' Hallett was cooing as she stroked the startled child's face.

"Hattie, let me have a good look at our boy," came the gruff demand, and Ianto reached the group just as Harold got a good look at the boy who stared back with the same eyes Harold saw each morning in the mirror.

"By God, you are a Hallett alright. Look at those eyes!" he boomed, and Walter turned to look at his father.

"I'm a Harkness-Jones, aren't I Taddy?" he demanded, and Ianto opened his mouth to speak but coughed instead. Damned dry cough had been plaguing him for days.

"Yes Son, you belong to me and Taddy!" Jack growled as he entered the door behind the Halletts with the groceries abandoned on the front path, where he'd dropped them in his haste.

The two Halletts gaped as the imposing figure of Captain Jack Harkness filled the doorway, and Harold stepped away from Walter.

"Daddy! Taddy was spewing again and I didn't mean to let them in," Walter said as he pushed past everyone to get his welcome home cuddle.

Jack shouldered off his greatcoat and expertly flicked it at the coat rack. It landed on the hook as Walter climbed Jack's frame to cuddle in his arms. Harold noted the familiar way that had happened and then the "Daddy" registered. With an open gape, he turned to face Ianto, who stood holding the doorframe with his skin pale and clammy.

"Gay? You are in a … relationship with this man?" he spluttered.

"Excuse me. This man is my husband and Walter's other father!" Ianto snarled.

"Oh my goodness. But Lisa …" Hattie began but Harold stopped her with a look.

"I am legally registered as Ianto's husband and I have adopted Walter. He has both our names, and if you think you can come in here and stake any claim then you can think again," Jack declared, tightening his grip on his baby, who looked back at his grandparents with huge eyes.

"It's OK, Walt. No one's angry with you, bug. You did nothing wrong opening the door but I think Daddy I and need to work out a few new rules, OK sweetie?" Ianto reached out and rubbed Walter's leg to reassure him.

"Oh dear, we've upset things," Hattie sighed, and looked around the entranceway with renewed interest.

"So, this was a firehouse wasn't it, Yani?" she asked

"Yes. It was decommissioned about four years ago and opened as an event venue. We got married here, and Jack and I got it for a steal." Ianto looked at Jack and a small nod told him it was up to him how to proceed.

"Look, I do appreciate that time can heal wounds and I also accept that you may wish to have contact with Walt, but this is not the way to go," Ianto said as Jack gave a sigh of relief and pushed past to take Walter inside. "I'm sorry but I still have a little ways to go before I can put a line under some of what happened."

"We understand that, Yani. We just wanted to see him so badly. Five years this month since the accident, next month is five years since you -" he cleared his throat and looked at his wife- "made the decision we couldn't. We've taken advice and now understand how bad she was. We were too close to see, to accept. We know you were releasing her."

"Please sweetie, we don't want a custody battle. We know he is yours, we only have to see the way he clings to that man of yours to see he's happy. We just want something. Just a piece, please," Hattie begged. "Yani, are you OK? You look so pale."

Ianto made a small noise in his throat as the world seemed to shrink. He slid down the wall coughing, and Harold shouted with shock as he grabbed for the falling man.

Jack came running to find Ianto unconscious in the man's arms as Hattie patted his cheek.


	5. Chapter 5

Chap 5

Owen had arrived with his usual charm, managing to insult the Halletts by asking if they were there for a cleaning job and calling Jack "the little woman" all in one fell swoop as he blustered through the house to the bedroom where Ianto was resting in the dark.

"Right, ya plocker, what are you up to then?" Owen said as he threw the curtain open with a flourish.

Owen turned towards the bed and blanched. "Shit, you look like death warmed up!"

"Thanks Owen, always a charmer, you," Ianto drawled from beneath the blankets.

Owen walked over and noted the pale clammy skin and the blue around his lips. Ianto was in a state and clearly this was more than just a tummy bug. Owen rifled in his bag and produced a syringe pack.

"Right, blood test, and you can go piss in this while I get set up," Owen demanded as he held out a sample cup.

Ianto returned with the container lidded and ready to go. He climbed lethargically back onto the bed, Owen watching with a clinical eye.

"Fatigue, weight loss, and your cough. What else?" Owen sat on the edge of the bed, and Ianto shrugged.

"Night sweats and I run a fever sometimes. Jack calls me his "little hottie". Also, my skin itches but there's not really a rash. It's just nerves, Owen," Ianto sighed as he closed his eyes.

"Ianto? Look at me," Owen demanded, and Ianto stared up at his friend. "Any aches or pains?"

"Just this bloody stomach-ache. Well, and this armpit here, I must have banged myself when I was hanging curtains or something." Ianto grimaced as he rubbed absently under his left arm and Owen frowned.

"Ianto, I need to run a few tests. Nothing too bad for now but I need to check something, OK?" Owen patted Ianto's arm and prepared to draw blood.

Jack entered the room and frowned as he watched Owen carefully draw blood. As Owen pulled the needle, the area began to bruise, and Owen's frown deepened. Jack felt a chill down his spine as Owen began the physical exam, gently prodding Ianto's neck then his armpit. Ianto groaned as Owen pushed too hard, and Owen sat back, chewing his bottom lip.

"Sorry mate. I think we need to do these bloods and then talk about the results." Owen patted Ianto's arm, then carefully loaded up and left the room.

Jack climbed onto the bed and pulled the blankets around his already sleeping husband as the chill grew to a fully-fledged dread.

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The office was clearly not Owen's, and Ianto held Jack's hand tightly as they waited. Finally, the door opened and Owen entered, followed by an older gentleman who looked at the two men and nodded.

"Right Mr Harkness-Jones. I want to schedule you for a few tests and …"

"No," Jack barked. "Not without some answers first."

"Ah, Mr …"

"Harkness–Jones. Look, just call him Ianto and me Jack, OK?" Jack asked.

"Very well. Jack, there seems to be an anomaly in the preliminary results and we would like to rule out a few possibilities." The Doctor looked at Ianto, who sat wide-eyed and silent.

"OK, what tests?" Jack asked, rubbing his thumb over Ianto's knuckles.

"We've done bloods and now need a CT scan to check your lymph nodes," the doctor stated, and Jack swore softly as Ianto whimpered.

"Cancer? You're looking for cancer?" Jack whispered.


	6. Chapter 6

Chap 6

The CT scan was scheduled for later than day, and although Owen assured them it was only because he'd pulled a few strings, Jack couldn't help but worry that it was because time was running out. He'd lost it all once, he couldn't a second time. Not Ianto.

Seeming to read his mind in that way that always made Jack ask if he was part Vulcan, Ianto grabbed Jack's hand and squeezed as they waited outside the CT room.

Walter was at Rhia's, oblivious to the events unfolding downtown, and Gray had assured Jack that they could keep the wee man overnight as his next school visit wasn't until the end of the week. Gray made a few jokes about sexy times, and Jack tried to play along but knew Gray heard the fear in his voice. First stop had to be their place.

As Ianto was led into the scanner, Jack held his wedding band in the palm of his hand. Although it only took about half an hour, it felt like an eternity, and when Ianto emerged Jack wanted to wrap him in his greatcoat and carry him home. But they couldn't. They waited as Jack slid the ring home.

They went to yet another office, and Owen was following a woman this time who perched her glasses on the end of her nose as she read the notes Jack was sure she must have read already.

"Mr Harkness-Jones, we have a few more tests we would …"

"No! No more. Not without some bloody answers!" Jack demanded as Ianto shook silently.

"Tell us, please. We have a five year old son. We need to be prepared," Jack begged.

"Sir, we can only give a preliminary diagnosis with further tests and a bone biopsy," she said.

Jack felt his balls shrivel as he heard her confirming his fears.

"Mr Harkness-Jones, I believe you have Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma," she declared, and Ianto looked up. "I can't give you what stage or degree without further tests."

"Can I go?" he asked in a small voice.

"Yes. We need a few days to schedule the tests and then compile the results before a treatment can be discussed. I will give your partner an information pack for you to read when you feel strong enough," she smiled.

"Husband. Jack is my spouse. He is also my next of kin." Ianto wanted it clear from the get-go, and she nodded.

Once they were in the SUV, Ianto broke down and Jack fought his own tears as he held him as tightly as he could. Ianto shook as he silently wept into Jack's chest, and Jack cursed God just as silently.

When they got home, Jack walked around the passenger side and carefully removed his sleeping love from the SUV. He carried him inside and Tosh held the doors before folding back the bedcovers. As Jack placed Ianto on the bed and began to untie his laces, Tosh watched from the doorway.

"Just a little more time, Tosh," Jack said quietly, and with a nod, she left.

Jack climbed into bed and pulled Ianto into his arms. He made sure Ianto was deeply asleep before he gave in and wept.


	7. Chapter 7

Chap 7

Gray reacted with anger as Rhiannon sat quietly grasping at Ianto's hands. Gray raged and roared at the injustice of the world as Jack screamed back at him his own fears and woes.

"Oh baby boy," Rhia whispered as she cuddled him close. It was like a storm had been brewing and now it rained on their parade.

"Daddy? Are you and Taddy fighting?" Walter had heard the shouting and saw his father sitting in tears.

"No. Never! I love your father more than the stars, more than the air I breathe." Jack broke down as he watched Ianto reach for their son.

"Buggy bum, Tadda's sick and Daddy's sad. Uncle Gray is just angry that it's happened because it's not fair. No-one is angry at anyone else. I never want to leave your Daddy. He's my sun and my moon," Ianto whispered into his hair.

"Leave? Are you gonna die, Taddy?" Walter asked with that wisdom showing again in his watery eyes.

Jack staggered from the room as Gray led him down the hallway to his and Rhia's room. As Jack sank into the carpet in what was once their own bedroom, he sobbed.

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The morning after the final diagnosis found the Harkness-Jones family cuddled up in the large bed Jack lovingly called the Nest, and Tosh sat weeping on the edge as Owen held her hand and spoke with Ianto.

"So have treatments been decided or are you wanting to look at different options?" Owen asked as Jack smoothed Walter's covers over his sleeping form.

"It's been confirmed as Stage One so we were right in our hopes that it was just the one site. The bone marrow biopsy showed no further involvement," Ianto said as he shifted uncomfortably.

"That hip brought us together," Jack said softly as Ianto rubbed the biopsy site which still throbbed like a bastard.

Ianto snorted and rolled his eyes as he remembered the first time he'd met this gorgeous man he got to call husband. "Still smell brilliant too," he whispered.

"I love you," Jack sighed as Walter snuffled and began to wake.

"Well, I have something to say that might take your mind off things," Rhia said from the doorway as Gray took her hand and smiled.

"You're pregnant," Ianto deadpanned, then paled at her look of surprise.

"No! Shit, really?" Ianto gasped as Jack looked over at his brother, who beamed and nodded.

"Oh my god, a baby. Oh, Jack. Did you hear that, cariad?" Ianto turned to his husband, and Jack saw his beautiful Welshman who had been hiding behind a stoic mask for the last few weeks.

"Oh Ianto, a baby is perfect, yeah?" Jack mouthed his thanks to his brother, who had wanted to keep it secret until the three month mark but had confided in Jack that day as he melted into the bedroom floor that Ianto would have something to aim for.

"How far along, Sissy?" Ianto enquired.

"Eight weeks along, little brother," she smiled as the sun came out again.

"Oh God, so my chemo and other therapies will be done with by the time I'm needed for babysitting duties then?" Ianto enthused, and Jack hugged him as Walter squeaked between them.


	8. Chapter 8

Chap 8

Ianto was snoozing in the afternoon sun. The swing seat Jack had placed on the deck at the backdoor shifted gently as Ianto moved his bodyweight in his sleep. Jack let himself in and left the door swinging as John followed him through into the kitchen, where Tosh was making a smoothie. She smiled and nodded in the direction of the backdoor, and Jack wandered out to see Ianto.

The blanket had slipped off as Ianto moved, and Jack scooped it up off the decking then began to carefully tuck his love back in.

John was rifling through the cupboards with a slice of ham hanging from his mouth. He knew there had to be mustard here somewhere because Ianto had served some the other day. All these pill bottles and vitamins could start a pharmacy. John picked a bottle and looked at it. It had Ianto's name on it and he frowned as he typed "Toposar" into his phone's Google app. When he got the results, he stood for a long time just holding the bottle before carefully placing it back on the shelf and closing the cupboard then leaving the room, the ham left behind on the benchtop.

John walked out into the backyard and watched Jack as he smoothed the hair back from Ianto's forehead and kissed him lightly. As Jack tucked the blanket some more, his hands shook. John turned to walk back inside, unable to watch. Tosh looked up from her laptop as John wandered past, and she went to speak but hesitated when she saw his strange look. She leaned out over the edge of her chair to watch as he quietly let himself out.

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Although they had told Gray and Rhia, Jack and Ianto had agreed to keep it to themselves for now. With the oral chemo underway, Ianto was tired and irritable. His stomach rebelled as the medication took effect, and while Ianto hoped to keep his hair, he knew there was a chance he might lose it.

Gray and Rhia had announced their engagement at Ianto's birthday lunch and Ianto had insisted on holding the engagement party at his place. It was secretly agreed to have it there so Ianto didn't have to travel in the night air. Also, having it there meant Walter could be the excuse for Ianto going to bed early by saying he would be staying with Walt until he was asleep and then Jack could say he found Ianto asleep with their son and left him sleeping.

Ianto knew his fathers might notice something if they spent too long alone with him, so Tosh and Owen had been roped in to run interference. Gwen had been invited, much to Ianto's surprise, and Jack had joked that maybe they should just "fuel her up" with alcohol and let her go as everyone would be too busy watching her to notice Ianto's frail condition.

John was late, and Jack had wondered if he was going to show at all. When he arrived with a toy fire engine for Walter that had him squealing and then proceeded to present Ianto with a long-stemmed white rose, Ianto blushed deeply.

"I thought this was my sister's night," Ianto joked as he accepted the rose, and John shrugged.

Ianto was still blushing as he went to shut the door and was surprised by the hand that closed over his. Looking up with surprise, he found his Taddy holding his hand as he stepped through the doorway.

"Ifan? My god, you look so pale, munchkin," he murmured as he reached out to touch Ianto's face. Ianto stepped back.

"Sweets, why is our boy trying to evade you?" Ianto's father droned as he strode in behind his mate and frowned at the two men.

"Hello Teddy, goodness. Do you have a bug? We should have had this at Rhia's if you're poorly," his father agreed, and Jack advanced, wondering which father was which.

"Ah, hello James," Jack said as he closed the door for Ianto.

"Hello Jack," replied the taller, thin man with salt-and-pepper hair, and Jack now knew the other one, who was shorter, was Eugene Senior.

"And Gene, you want to give me your coat?" Jack held out his hand as the shorter, dark-haired one that Ianto took after slid his jacket from his shoulders.

"Well, I may not be a doctor but … oh, I am a doctor!" Gene said with a grin as James rolled his eyes at the obviously old joke.

"I have to ask. Ianto has your looks but your, er … manner." Jack pointed between the two men.

"My first wife, River. Lovely! Bit mad but, well, Eugene he was her brother. How me and Eugene we met. My first marriage was just a silly high school crush, but we both knew it was not meant to be. Eugene, well he was the real deal. Bit of a mess for a while but in the end we all realised what we really wanted. I wanted him. She wanted a man she met during our marriage counselling. We put a line under it and moved on. She was surrogate for us when we realised something was missing.". James laughed at the memories.

"Our beautiful boy, Eugene Junior, was ours. Then she wanted her own baby;, Rhiannon was hers and her second husband's. Then Ifan got mumps off little Rhia and he became sterile. Wanted another baby so we agreed to donate for the cause." Eugene cut in with a soft smile.

"Three miscarriages later, Eugene and I were about to call it quits but it seems this wee man was hiding behind his dead twin. We went in to the hospital thinking we were taking home a little body to go in the family cemetery and got a little boy instead. When River died it was awful. Then Ifan fell down the stairs drunk and broke his neck when little Ianto was what? Ten, hon? We took the kids and legally adopted them both." James smiled at Gene lovingly. "Looks just like him, eh?"

"Whereas Eugene looked so much like James. So tall, wasn't he?" Eugene smiled wistfully.

"Ianto? Are you OK?" Gene said, touching Ianto's arm. "You look like you're going to-"

Ianto doubled over and threw up on Jack's shoes.


	9. Chapter 9

Chap 9

Ianto had retreated in a panic as Jack stood there in shock. John had gone after Ianto and found him in the bathroom, leaning over the hand basin as he brushed his teeth.

"Ianto? Can I help?" John said softly, touching Ianto's arm.

"How do you know? I'm not stupid. How did you find out?" Ianto demanded as he spat the toothpaste into the basin and watched it rinse away down the drain.

"Your meds. I Googled. I mean, I've not said anything to Jack. I figured you'd say when you were ready to burst everyone's bubble." John shrugged.

"Cancer. Yeah, a real party favourite that would be," Ianto snorted, looking in the mirror at his reflection. With a start, he saw his father in the doorway. Shit.

"Excuse me young man, do you mind if I have a moment with my son?" Eugene quietly asked the startled John, who nodded and slunk off.

"When were you going to tell us?" he asked his little boy.

"Never. I hoped it would be a never scenario," Ianto sighed, closing his eyes against the pain visible in his father's.

"Oh Teddy Bear. How bad is it?" Eugene pulled his son into his arms and sadly noted the frail frame that shook beneath his touch.

"I'm sorry Daddy," Ianto whispered, and Eugene groaned deep in his throat at the title he had not heard in years.

"Not your fault Teddy. God, your Tadda is going to be impossible. I hope Myfanwy's up to the task of rounding him up once he goes off on one," Eugene whispered into his son's ear. "Maybe we tell him in the back yard. All those high fences. Just let him run it off for a while. Tell the neighbours a mental patient escaped if anyone complains about the screaming."

Ianto snorted with mirth at the image of his Taddy in full meltdown.

"I love you Daddy Dear," Ianto sighed as he drew back to wipe his face.

With a whine of displeasure, Ianto wiped his thumbs across his father's face, banishing the tears he had found.

"I love you too Teddy Bear Bum," Eugene said just as seriously, and when Jack finally came looking he found his husband and father-in-law hysterically laughing as they sat on the edge of the bath.

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.

Once everyone had recovered from the shock, it became a sick joke. (Pardon the pun.) Each new arrival had Jack opening the door with plastic bags over his shoes as John made a show of scrubbing the floor like Cinderella, complete with a tea towel tied on his head. Ianto was laughing and colour had returned to his face.

As his father reached for his hand, Rhia raised an eyebrow at her little brother, who nodded. _Yes._ She sighed and looked at their Tad, then back at him, and he shook his head. _No._ She mouthed, "Shit," and Ianto snorted and nodded again. _Yes._

As Ianto could now openly claim to be unwell, the party was over within a few hours with the promise of a big one for Walter's fifth birthday. Once everyone had gone it was just Ianto's fathers and Rhia outside on the deck with Ianto as Gray helped Jack and Tosh in the kitchen.

Ianto looked lovingly at his parents and took a deep breath.

Time to weep.


	10. Chapter 10

Chap 10

"Taddy. I need to tell you something important," Ianto started as he tried to remember his pre-rehearsed speech.

Jack had returned with a blanket, insisting it was too cool in the night air without one. Sitting on the swing seat in Jack's arms, Ianto focused on Jack's breath in his hair.

"Taddy. Dadda. I have been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Stage 1-B. I intend to beat it and get on with my life but you need to be prepared for the slim chance that …" Ianto choked and looked out into the twilight.

"Ianto has roughly a 75% chance of beating this thing," Jack said. "Cancer treatment has come so far and he's young, healthy, and bloody gorgeous."

Ianto's Tadda had risen from his chair and turned his back to them as he looked in the same direction as Ianto. His long, lean body was tightly coiled, and Jack wondered if it might snap like a rubber band.

James stood and tried to hug his husband, but Eugene shook him off with a startlingly loud sob that shook his body. Then he howled, long and deep. It was primal, like some wild animal caught in a trap, as he doubled at the waist hugging himself, and Ianto found himself pulling at Jack's arms for comfort as Jack hugged him tightly.

"Come on Gennie, come on love," James said softly as he rocked the man.

Now Eugene screamed. Guttural rage spewed out and he turned to strike at his husband like he was the cause of his misery. "My boy. My boy. My fucking baby boy!"

Ianto buried his face in Jack's neck. He'd had enough. Jack lifted Ianto in his arms, so light since the weight loss, and carried him inside past the open-mouthed Tosh.

Jack placed Ianto in their bed, where Walter was already sleeping. Ianto made a small noise of misery as he snuggled into his own baby boy and Jack removed his shoes, taking the time to kiss his feet as each sock was removed. Then Jack unbuckled Ianto's trousers and pulled them down as Ianto whispered, "Getting into my pants again, you sex demon."

"Can you blame me? Looking so wanton all evening, especially after you spewed on me. God, so erotic," Jack whispered back, and Ianto giggled softly as he slipped off into never-never land after his son.

Jack waited a few minutes until Ianto's breathing deepened and lengthened before returning to the deck. The two men were sitting now, silhouettes in the dying sunset.

"Eugene? James? You OK?" Jack asked softly, not wanting to intrude.

"I think it's at least Gene and Jamie now, don't you?" Gene said quietly as he stroked his husband's cheek.

"He's asleep. With Walt." Jack felt the need to comfort them, and the thought of Ianto and Walter together made him feel better so he hoped it did for them as well.

"Oh god. Walter." Jamie turned with horror.

"He knows. We told him immediately. He's scared but thinks it will be OK because it's his Taddy," Jack assured them.

"No, I mean the bloody Hallett family," Jamie clarified.

"Walter is mine. Legally. I adopted him and am listed as a custodian. They can't take him from me if …" Jack stopped and shrugged, then made a show of folding the blanket that had slid from Ianto as he had lifted him.

"You've talked this through then?" Gene asked.

"Feels like all we've done is talk. Ianto is so tired of talking and I feel like I've not said enough." Jack snorted into the night.

"Ah, well. That's love, son."


	11. Chapter 11

Chap 11

Jack opened the front door to find a very nervous Gwen and Andy waiting on his doorstep. He was halfway into his coat as he headed off for some milk and was a bit startled as he was sure there had been no knock.

"Did you knock?" he finally asked after it seemed they weren't going to talk.

"Is Ianto about, mate?" Andy asked softly, and Jack was immediately on alert.

"This official business, Andy?" Jack let the coat slip back into his hands.

"Sorry. Bad news." Andy sighed as Gwen shifted feet.

Ianto had been having a good day. His chemo was the next day so he was enjoying that brief respite between his "Rat-poison" days. He heard voices, and turned from the painting he was straightening with a warm smile as he recognised his childhood friend.

"Andy Pandy, what are you doing here?" Ianto chortled as he waved them towards the sofa. "I was just going to move these pictures about, I was so bloody bored. Well?"

"Ah. Toto. This isn't a social visit, mate," Andy apologised as he sat forward.

"Well?" Ianto prodded.

"There's a body down town, at the morgue. Ah, shit. I'm not sure but it looks like Martha." Andy sighed.

"Don't be stupid. You know Martha as well as I do, ya great muppet. What do you mean you're not sure?" Ianto scoffed as Jack slid into the seat next to Ianto.

"Well that's the problem. She's a bit banged up." Gwen screwed up her nose, and Andy nodded.

"We'll follow you," Jack said as he reached for his phone to ask Gray and Rhia to pick Walter up.

.

.

.

The morgue was exactly what Ianto expected it to be. Stark white and barren. The gurney in front of him had a white sheet over the body waiting to be ogled, and he wondered how they got the stains out of their sheets.

As the coroner lifted the sheet, Ianto gave a shudder of repulsion at the sight previously hidden underneath. He instinctively reached for Jack's hand even as he leaned forward to look at the face of the dead woman more closely.

"This is not Martha, but I do know who it is. This is not going to end well," Ianto groaned.

"Babe?" Jack squeezed his hand for an answer.

"This is one of Idris's ex-girlfriends. One of his soldiers. Damn it. She's Mary."

"Mary? As in Tosh's Mary?" Jack gasped with horror.

"Tosh? What does she have to do with this?" Gwen asked as she flipped her pad open.

"No. Nothing. She and Mary knew each other once, a long time ago. It was just a flash in the pan!" Ianto shook his head. "She worked for Idris for about seven years, I think."

"Wait a minute. Soldiers? Ah shit. You mean Idris as in the Hoodlum Idris? Idris Jones." Andy whined. "Ah shit! Well, I bags not telling him!"

"Well, I suppose I could tell him," Gwen said, then looked up when Ianto and Jack both snorted at the same time.

"Gwen, you would never make it to Idris. The enforcers would chuck you out. Damn." Ianto took a moment, then turned to face Jack. "I'll have to."


	12. Chapter 12

Chap 12

Gwen had insisted on going with them and had frowned at Andy as he had flatly refused to get into the SUV. Swinging into the compound, she grew smaller as she wondered if she had made a mistake.

This was not the high-rise apartment she was expecting or the fine-suited men who would hold the door. Oh no, she had been driven straight onto a movie set complete with machine guns being waved about.

The first sign had been the huge gates Jack had stopped the SUV at. Ianto slid from his seat to lean out the window and looked up at the camera sitting atop the left gate.

The gates slide back noiselessly and a single man stepped into the path of the SUV. As the SUV crawled to a stop, the man leaned in the window and looked at Gwen in the back.

"You want a snap mate? Put it in ya jizz album?" Ianto snarked, and the man jumped.

"Shite. Toto, didn't see ya there brodda." The man smiled with genuine apology.

"Well, if youse wanna get ya hand off me Americans I'd not be chuffin' at ya." Ianto pointed at the man's hand on Jack's arm where it rested in the window.

"Wells. Dis hea be ya Americas? Mentals! He be fit Toto!" The chav made Gwen's skin crawl as the man flashed gold teeth in his grin.

"Yeah, well. I be buggin' for Idris!" Ianto declared, and the man nodded.

"He be at his spot brodda." The man waved them through.

"God, I hope that's the Chav line crossed for the fucking decade!" Ianto muttered at he pointed to a large wooded area.

Jack parked his black beauty amongst the brightly-coloured pimpmobiles, and they crunched across gravel to a path that two men sat by playing cards. They followed Ianto as he wandered through dense bush strung with fairy lights and coloured streamers to reveal a small pergola sitting in a clearing. Idris was sitting shirtless on the steps with his face turned towards the sky.

"Iddi. I need an audience," Ianto said imperiously, and Idris looked down from the heavens with wide eyes.

"Ianto? You said you would never return to this wood." Idris stood, and Jack saw the white sweatpants were immaculate. Bare foot, Idris padded across the grass with his arms open wide. "Welcome home to Wilding Wood!"

To Jack's amazement, Ianto toed off his shoes and bent to remove his socks before joining Idris on the grass. "Thank you brother."

"Why are you here on this night of seven stars?" Idris frowned at Ianto.

"Mary is dead. She has been beaten and strangled," Ianto intoned, ignoring the role-play Idris wanted as Idris gasped and dropped his arms.

"Are you sure it's her, Toto?" Idris's voice seemed smaller.

"I ID'd her myself, Iddi. I'm so sorry for your loss." Ianto stepped forward but Idris stepped back.

"What is this to them? You bring badges here?" Idris was defensive as he waved his arms at Jack and Gwen.

"Jack is my husband and Gwen is his ex-partner. She is here so she can say you were told and the real badges don't have to stomp in," Ianto snapped and he turned to leave. "Thought you would want the news from a friend but maybe you would have preferred them. You've not spoken to me since my wedding. Every phone call diverted and every invite to my home rejected."

"Toto?" Idris was showing confusion as he reached for Ianto but Ianto was too quick. Scooping up his shoes and socks, he faced Jack.

"Let's go home, my love. I don't belong here." Ianto stepped into Jack's arms, feeling so damn tired.

Jack knew the gravel would be hard on Ianto's bare feet but didn't want to wait for the hassle of replacing his shoes so, as they got to the end of the path, Jack scooped Ianto into his arms and carried him.

Idris had hurried after them and stopped as he watched Ianto place his arm around Jack's neck, accepting the carry without objection.

"Ianto? What is going on?" Martha called out as she came out of a motorhome parked across the way.

"Ianto is going home and we are forgetting all about this fucking day!" Jack snarled as he waited by the SUV for Gwen to open the door.

"Ianto?" Martha reached around Jack but Ianto slapped her away.

"Like Jack said. Forget all about this day. And this-" Ianto looked over her shoulder at Idris, who stood back with a frown- "life!"

As Jack swung the SUV out of the compound, Idris turned to Martha with a snarl. "What the fuck did he mean? Diverted calls and rejected invites?"


	13. Chapter 13

Chap 13

Ianto wanted to go straight to bed, but unfortunately the Halletts were waiting on the doorstep as they pulled back into the carport. After dropping Gwen off, Ianto had drifted in and out of sleep and now looked about blearily as he felt the jolt of the brakes.

"Ianto? Are you OK, honey?" Hattie gasped as she watched him half fall from the SUV.

Harrold stepped forward to catch him as Jack swore from the back of the SUV when he saw he wasn't going to make it to him in time. Ianto pushed the Halletts off and struggled to get to Jack. Jack helped him up the steps and then stopped as he realised they weren't following.

"Is it AIDS?" Hattie demanded with blazing eyes. "Is our baby boy being exposed to-?"

The rest of her words were lost in a shriek as John Hart stepped around the corner of the house with the garden hose. He had turned it on to hose down the deck covered with Myfanwy's muddy footprints. After hearing the voices, he had wandered around the side and now stood with the spray firmly pointed at the Halletts as he washed all the muck away.

.

.

.

As Ianto sat in the cooling bath Jack had run, he began to giggle. The giggle grew to a laugh as he went over the day's events in his head.

Jack came running then fell to his knees beside the bathtub, convinced that Ianto had finally snapped.

"AIDS. She thinks it's AIDS because we're gay." Ianto reached for Jack, who tried to shush him.

"Oh Jack. I hate those bigoted fucking people!" Ianto hiccupped as he rubbed his face into Jack's chest.

"I know sweets, I know. It's OK," Jack soothed. He sighed as a knock at the door sounded.

Jack left Ianto, walked to the door with an angry stomp, and opened it to find Idris standing there with Martha.

"Fuck off!" Jack tried to shut the door but Idris pushed on it.

"Please. Please, let us in," Martha begged.

"Idris?" Ianto stood with a towel around his hips as he reached for the robe Jack had absently flicked over a shoulder before leaving the bathroom.

Jack turned to hand over the robe and saw Ianto as they did. Thin and frail with his ribcage prominently displayed through his paper-thin skin. Needle marks from injections and bloodwork pockmarked his arms, and his claw-like hands shook as he reached out.

Jack stepped between them to shield Ianto as he flicked the robe around him, murmuring his apologies for taking it with him.

"What do they want?" Ianto asked, not even looking in their direction.

"My god, Ianto. Are you sick?" Martha asked, and Ianto snorted.

"No, I need to get my weight down or I'll never get to ride Secretariat in the grand nationals!" Ianto sniped angrily.

"Ianto? God," Idris groaned. "Look, those calls were never reported to me, or the invites. I had no idea about any of this. I just thought you were off playing happy families man!"

"Does this look like I'm fucking happy?" Ianto roared. "You try and do this fucking cancer treatment and then tell me you're fucking happy. Be a damn sight better than me having to do it, you fucking gobshite! I'll get them to sub you in for me."

Jack had tried to shush Ianto but it was too late. Tired, angry, and with his sedatives on board, Ianto was flying.

"Tell you what. When I fail, like I fail at everything, you can come and have Jack. Give him a good pity fuck just like you did me when I lost Lisa, hey?" Ianto laughed wickedly. "You can even call him Eugene like you did me while I flew with the ruffies you'd told me would make the pain easier!"

Jack let go of his shaking husband and swung. Idris was so shocked at the outburst that he was turning with his mouth open to explain himself to a hissing Martha and never saw it coming. As he slid to the floor from the wall he had slammed into, Martha stepped past him to reach for Ianto.

"And as for you!" Ianto was slurring now as the drugs kicked in stronger. "You never cared for me. Told me I was only marrying Lisa because I wanted to shag you but you're my cousin and so I settled for a poor imitation!"

Martha shook her head as she whispered an apology, reaching for his arm, but Ianto shook her off and stumbled. Jack caught him and told her to take her shit and go.

As she helped Idris to his feet, she watched Ianto crumble. Jack scooped him up easily and turned from them to end the whole day.


	14. Chapter 14

Chap 14

Mary's funeral was not something Jack wanted to suffer through, but Ianto had agreed so Tosh could go without feeling out of place.

Walter was going to have a sleepover at Rhia's, much to Gray's delight. Quite the spoiler was Uncle Gray. As they had left Rhia's, Jack had glanced at the rear-view mirror to see the children all running around the front lawn as Gray lay on the ground pretending to crawl for cover like a soldier in a combat zone.

They reached the church in good time, and Jack saw Martha waiting with John Hart on the front steps. When he saw the SUV, he waved and tripped down the steps to meet them. Tosh slid from the backseat and Owen followed, still holding her hand. Jack opened the door for Ianto, who was highly medicated for the day, hoping to keep things quiet.

"Hey sweets," John said softly as he reached Ianto's door. "Looking yummy."

Keeping Ianto shielded from everyone, John reached out and straightened Ianto's tie as Jack smoothed his suit jacket. When they were satisfied and Ianto's glare was becoming a little too intense, the two men stepped back to let Ianto proceed.

Martha had been waiting nervously and stepped forward as Ianto emerged. He shook his head and stepped closer to Jack, who drew him into a one-armed embrace. They then walked past her as she deflated. John took her hand and squeezed softly. She nodded and followed him.

They entered the church and chose a pew. As they slid along, Gwen and Andy snuck in the other end and Gwen smiled as she acknowledged Jack and Ianto. John leaned over the two men and hissed at Gwen and Andy to get their attention.

"Oi, ya bloody twats. She's white! How the fuck did you think she was Martha?" John hissed in a stage whisper that made Ianto thump him.

"Well? She's a bloody blonde!" John whined, pointing at the framed portrait sitting on the coffin as he rubbed his arm.

"She'd been in the water for nearly a week and had been beaten to death. She was bloated, decomposing and black," Gwen snarled as she leaned across Jack, who growled a warning.

"Really?" John was interested now.

"Yeah. All we had to go on was that little tattoo of a red Welsh dragon behind her left ear. Martha has the same one in the same place. Simple mistake!" Andy said softly as the music faded away and the service began.

It was a Catholic service, and Jack began to worry as Ianto started to flag. Finally he felt Ianto slump against him as he fell asleep. Jack carefully pulled him against his chest and rubbed his back as Ianto sighed and snuggled in.

The service ended and everyone rose as the coffin was carried out. Jack tried to quietly wake his sleeping beauty, shaking him gently and whispering his name.

"Fug orf. M' tired Jack," Ianto mumbled as he resisted.

"Baby, we need to get up. They're leaving," Jack said as he kissed Ianto on the forehead.

"God damn it!" Ianto yelled as he shoved himself away from Jack and glared at him.

The gasps of several mourners were lost in John's laughter.

"Ianto? Are you OK honey?" Ianto looked up at his aunt in confusion as she reached for his cheek. "Oh baby, you feel so hot."

"Aunty Mazy? Why are you in our bedroom?" Ianto demanded as he blinked furiously.

"Sweetie, its Mary's funeral. We're at the church; you fell asleep." Jack was smiling now as Ianto's eyed widened.

"Shit! You let me … Oh no. Tell me I didn't snore through the eulogy!" Ianto groaned.

"Oh sweet boy, so much like your father. He was a snuffly little boy as well!" she smiled, and John snorted before he could cover his mouth.

"Snuffly? I snuffle?" Ianto asked with horror, and Jack nodded.

"Oh god. That's why Lisa called me Mr Snuffalopogus!"


	15. Chapter 15

Chap 15

As they wandered through the graveyard, Ianto broke from the group and led Jack several rows down from the graveside service.

"OK Yan?" Jack asked, and Ianto pointed to a gravestone.

"Eugene? This is your big brother?" Jack looked at the ornately carved stone that sat in front of a beautiful rose garden.

"All of them. Eugene and the others. My twin is under one of those bushes, babe." Ianto sighed.

"Jesus. Did they name him?" Jack asked quietly.

"Gareth. Gareth David, I think. When Rhia called her boy David, my Tadda cried. Their first boy after Eugene was a David too. I think Tadda's twin brother was called David. Uncle Davie? Died when I was about five in a plane crash. A little girl called Hannah? I can't remember them all. Too sad." Ianto turned and buried his face in Jack's chest. "My wee girl is in here too. The white one."

Ianto waved his hand at a standard rose that had miniature white rose buds festooning its branches. Jack leaned forwards and smelt jasmine. The buds seemed to have pale yellow tips. The delicate little roses were like icing flowers.

Ianto shivered like a large bird ruffling his feathers and looked at the clouds for a moment, then sighed. With a soft smile, he began to walk back towards the others.

Jack had come to recognise this is as the "line under it" thing and had asked his fathers about the strange ability Ianto had to simply close a subject and be done with it.

It was a Jones thing indeed. Apparently when they were children and fought, as children do, their fathers used to insist they "draw a line under it" and move on to stop the arguments. Especially between the two boys. This had become a habit, carrying on to their adult years.

Jack was so grateful for this coping mechanism. He knew it had saved his butt and their relationship many times.

Now he wondered how to employ it in this Idris mess. Looking over at the man who stood by the door watching Ianto, Jack was reminded of the comment Ianto had made about the drugged up tryst. With a frown, he started to lead his husband to their SUV, still torn between ending the argument and the desire to hit the little fucker again.

"Ianto? Please?" Idris begged, and Ianto turned to face him, butler mask in place.

"Don't blank me, man!" Idris groaned, and Ianto frowned.

"Thanks for telling us about Mary, thanks for coming today and for letting us put her to rest in the family plot. She's not really family but, well. She had no-one else but us to care." Idris shrugged.

"Thank Daddy and Tadda. They said OK, I just didn't object," Ianto snarked.

"Ianto, please. How do we turn the corner here?" Idris asked softly.

"Turn left Idris. I'll turn right and we never look back," Ianto said as he pulled the door of the SUV closed, shutting out his old life as he turned to face his everything sitting next to him.

"Take me home, cariad."


	16. Chapter 16

Chap 16

Walter was stalking the undergrowth pretending he was a famous explorer. He had Tadda's gardening hat on and Daddy's gun. It kept slipping out of his pocket but he was getting really good at catching it.

Myfanwy was asleep in the midday sun at Tadda's feet and it looked like Tadda was asleep too. Good! Here comes the Doctor. Doctor Harkness-Jones!

As Walter took aim, Jack walked from the house to the deck with his hands full of lunch. He barely had time to register the fact that his son was aiming the weapon at Ianto before Walter pulled the trigger.

The shot was deafening, and Jack dropped the tray as he screamed with horror. The tree that was brushing against Ianto's head shuddered at the kill-shot and bled several leaves that fluttered into Ianto's lap.

Jack snatched the gun from a startled little boy and turned to face Ianto, who was blinking as he looked about with a frown.

"What was that, cariad?" Ianto asked as he rubbed at his eyes with the heels of his hands. "Did a car backfire?"

"Yeah babe, a backfire." Jack glared at the child who squeaked and looked at his shoes. "Walt, how about you get a brush and shovel to clean up that mess while Daddy makes lunch. Again."

"Sorry Daddy, I thought it was the play one Uncle Jon-Jon gave you," Walter simpered, and Ianto's growl made Jack groan. Ianto had seen the gun in his hand?

"Its OK babe," Jack began to defend himself but froze as he turned to see Idris standing in the doorway.

"The front door was open," Idris said softly.

"Was not!" Jack snapped.

"Well, is now!" Idris snorted, then frowned as Ianto tried to rise but was stuck.

Jack reached to help Ianto but got a slapped hand for his offer. Ianto levered himself up and glared at Idris. "How fucking dare you break into my home?"

"Yeah? Well you of all people know how easy it is to pop that lock. You are called Toto because of your ability to leave Kansas at any given moment!" Idris said cryptically, and Ianto snorted.

"My cat burglar days were brief and uneventful. We all know you named me Toto because my nose was red and wet from the flu when you first kissed me." Ianto smiled as he remembered their first meeting, and Jack seethed at the thought of this prick kissing his Welshman.

"Yeah. Eugene said you were like a puppy dog following him around, then I see you and think 'Fuck! Dog? More like a fox!'" Idris laughed softly. "Then I kissed you and your little cold nose against my cheek, you were so cute."

"I was ten years old, Iddi!" Ianto shook his head and smiled as he patted the seat beside him.

"Thanks Toto. I would say sorry but I know how you hate that word. Can we please draw a line?" Idris pleaded with his hands clasped together.

"Walter, this is your Uncle Idris. Do you remember him from the wedding?" Ianto asked the little hellion.

"Yep. He was with Aunty Martha and the stinky one," Walter answered, and they all laughed.

"Oh boy, was that a night. Hey, where did the fountain go?" Idris frowned at the paved area.

"Gone to fountain heaven," Ianto deadpanned.

"Actually, I wonder if a pergola would fit there. Give Walt somewhere to do his homework in summer? Listen to his music while enjoying the day without a sunburn?" Jack suggested.

"Yeah? Any other reason cariad?" Ianto asked, employing his Vulcan skills.

"Well, might be nice to renew our vows in this garden," Jack shrugged, and Ianto hummed as he wondered if he could survive another wedding.

 _Got to get through Walt's birthday this weekend first.  
_


	17. Chapter 17

Chap 17

Walter's birthday had come around quickly and everyone was laughing as Jack regaled them with their wedding pics and the wedding video showing the streaking John Hart. Their first anniversary pics were just as nice and they all watched them open the house for the first time as a home. Jack proudly watched as Walter declared it his bestest home ever on the big screen, taking a moment to squeeze Ianto's hand.

Ianto was having a good day and with his "rat poison" not due for another two days, he hoped for a good night as well.

Finally, after everyone was gone, Walter was in bed and so was Ianto, impatiently waiting for his husband to come join him.

Jack climbed wearily between the sheets and leaned over to kiss Ianto goodnight. Ianto hummed and kissed him back, rubbing his hand against Jack's groin.

"You sure babe?" Jack asked hopefully, and Ianto grinned back.

Soon they were both naked as Jack carefully pleasured his poor Welshman with lavish kisses to his body. As Jack kissed his way down to Ianto's groin, he noted that the light was still on. Usually Ianto had the light off for this kind of attention, but it was nice for a change to see Ianto's face as he giggled from the tickly tongue licking at his balls.

That's when he saw it. The inside of Ianto's groin had a small tattoo of a Welsh dragon in red ink.

Ianto was panting as he languidly stroked his own cock, and it took him a moment to realise that Jack had pulled away.

"Jack? Cariad? Please don't be a tease," Ianto said with a soft laugh that died as he watched Jack rise from the bed.

"Jack?" Now Ianto was annoyed. His first hard-on in weeks and now it was slowly deflating along with his self-confidence.

"No real ties to the Hoodlums? Not a soldier?" Jack snarled as he tied his robe tightly.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Ianto demanded.

"The tattoo! Same as Martha's and Mary's. You think I would never see it? That why you want to fuck in the dark?" Jack spat.

"The… what? The dragon? Are you seriously going to have a go at me for that?" Ianto scoffed. "Or is that the only thing you could come up with to avoid having to 'fuck', as you put it. Funny, I was stupid enough to think we were making love!"

"Yeah, well. You know what? I'm tired. Tired of you not wanting to play, tired of you wanting more and more of my time. Christ, our boy's birthday and everyone spent more time tending to you than him! Poor little bugger didn't even get to open all of his gifts before you needed to go to the loo!"

"What? Why are you so angry?" Ianto shook his head in confusion.

"You need help getting to the toilet in the night, you need help tying your shoes, and you need me to keep you warm, you need, need, and fucking need." Jack sobbed. "I'm done. You know what? Let's put a line under it, yeah? I'll spend the night in Walter's room. Try out his pull-out bed. Maybe we both need a good night's sleep, Mr Jones!"

As Jack slammed out of the bedroom, Ianto finally let the first sob out. _Mr Jones? What happened to Harkness-Jones?_


	18. Chapter 18

Chap 18

Ianto had lain in bed unable to sleep. He had pulled over the hospice brochures and checked them, still sickened by the cost before shoving them under his pillow with a growl of anger.

Struggling with the pain, he rose from the bed and carefully made his way to the toilet. He knew he was going to fall without Jack's arms almost immediately, and when his legs gave out all he could do was grunt with pain as he went down.

Ianto called out for Jack. A couple of minutes went by before he realised that the baby monitor they had brought out of mothballs wasn't turned on. Jack always insisted someone have it for Ianto's needs and this was the final straw. As Ianto wet himself on the cold floor, he wept bitterly.

It was Tosh who found him the next morning. Cold, wet, and ashamed. She quickly called Owen from the kitchen and he swore the air blue as he helped lift Ianto into the shower. Owen wanted to call Jack but Ianto said to leave him with getting Walter ready for his first full day of school.

That's when Owen told Ianto that they had both left for school already. After Walter not wanting to give him a goodnight kiss, it was a double snub that there had been no goodbye kiss this morning from either of his fellas. Walter's first full day of school and Ianto didn't even register a nod in farewell.

Ianto had convinced Owen to let it go and as Owen helped Tosh clean the floor where Ianto had lain all night, Ianto calmly walked past them and into the house he had thought of as his home.

Jack had intended to go straight home from dropping Walter at school but the delayed argument with Ianto loomed like a storm cloud, so he took a wander around the neighbourhood shops. It was well into the fourth hour of wandering when he finally turned the corner and saw a hive of activity on his front lawn.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Owen demanded when he saw him. "Forgotten how to answer a fucking phone?"

Jack pulled his phone from his pocket and saw the battery was dead. Without a word, he turned the screen towards Owen.

"Ianto's missing!" Owen spat.

It was explained to Jack that when Ianto had left the bedroom, Owen and Tosh had spent another half hour cleaning and replacing the towels Ianto had pulled down in an effort to keep warm. When they finally emerged expecting him to be on the sofa, they found an empty house instead.

"He's still here, but we can't find him. The CCTV over the front door doesn't register an exit so he's still here somewhere!" Tosh assured him.

After another two hours, Jack looked up from the plans of the house to see Walter standing with a face like thunder. Jack groaned as he remembered his promise to collect him after school and mouthed his thanks to Gray, who had saved the day.

Walter grew bored with the adults' panicking and decided to go to his hidden cubby, the room beneath the tower where the hoses used to be hung to dry after a run. He crawled into the cubby and saw his Taddy rolled up in his blankets.

When he had shown Tadda the entrance through the back of the coat cupboard, Tadda had laughed and told him it was a special place where magic could happen. The tower was for starlight to come down. To see Tadda there now filled Walter with hope. Tadda was sneaking in to get magic starlight to heal him?

Walter crawled over and pulled on his Tadda's arm. Ianto groaned softly and lifted his arm to let his little bug into the blankets, and both of them drifted off.

Downstairs, Owen had found the brochures under Ianto's pillows. He also found the note of pros and cons Ianto had been working on to convince himself to go into care. Without a second thought, he stomped into the main room and began reading out loud the pro column.

When Owen got to the part where Ianto had written _Jack has taken back the Harkness part of his name saying I'm just a Jones again and it would be easier for Walter to forget me while I still look healthy therefore becoming a Harkness quicker when Jack changes his name as well when I die anyway_ , Tosh gasped.

Owen then snarled out, " _Jack is tired of me. I'm too needy and what love he had has died along with my sex appeal._ "

"Oh Jack!" Tosh hissed. "I'm so sorry."

Owen wasn't done. " _My son won't show affection and Jack tells him he doesn't have to. I may as well be dead already. Why do I continue to punish myself with this treatment when I have lost my life anyway?_ "

Jack snatched the piece of paper to read it for himself.

"You really had a go about his brother's memorial tattoo?" John asked with confusion as he read over Jack's shoulder.

"What? Jack asked with a frown.

"The little red dragon. Martha told me. They all had it done when Eugene died; it was his favourite rugby team or something. They were all pretty bladdered, apparently!" John snorted. "That's why Mary had one. Got hers with Martha."

Jack finally had the full story and reason for Ianto's look of fury when he had brought it up. Just as he got to the notation on the bottom of the piece of paper in his hand.

 _I wish to be cremated and scattered with all my dead siblings. I do not want a cross or marker. Just let me be gone and quiet from all this noise and pain. My baby will forget me and my husband will move on. What's another withered rose to my poor parents?_


	19. Chapter 19

Chap 19

When Ianto woke up, he was cold, sore, and hungry. He shook Walter and tried to rise but found himself stuck.

"Baby, Taddy can't get up!" Ianto said, then giggled at Walter's eye roll.

Soon both of them were laughing as Ianto struggled to crawl across the small space. As they got to the cupboard door, it swung open as Jack rushed in berating himself for forgetting Walter.

"Hello sir," Ianto said, giggles cut off as he stopped wanting out again after seeing Jack's thunderous expression.

"Ianto? Oh God." Jack dropped to his knees and hugged Ianto to him.

"Let me go please," Ianto said softly.

Owen and John appeared at the opening, both sighing with relief when they saw Ianto. John swore as the bruising on Ianto's arms became visible.

"Jack, let me the fuck go! You wanted the line under us!" Ianto struggled, and Jack growled with anger.

To Jack's confusion, he found himself shaking Ianto as he berated him for scaring everybody. It was only John's slap across his face that snapped Jack out of his rage, and he looked down at his fingers embedded in Ianto's frail flesh. He let go and Ianto fell back looking at Jack like he was a stranger.

John pushed Jack back as Owen helped Ianto out of the small space and Tosh gave a whoop of glee when she saw him. Gray gave a sigh of relief and then pulled Ianto into an awkward hug.

Ianto looked at everyone with confusion. He shakily made his way to a nearby chair and sank into it.

"Owen. We need to work out a hospice that's not too expensive. It's no good me spending Jack and Walter's money on …" Ianto started.

"No!" Walter cried as he stood in front of his Taddy. "You can't leave. You need the magic starlight!"

"Oh Walter. No, I need to go now. I'm too much for your poor old Daddy. I'm stealing your happy times," Ianto tried to explain, but now Jack gave a growl.

"No! You said you didn't want to leave Daddy! You said he was the sun and the moon! I'm your star. You need starlight to get better." Walter was crying now, and Ianto held out his arms.

"I did say that, didn't I, bug?" Ianto sighed and inhaled his son's unique scent. Apple shampoo with a hint of dirt.

"I'm not letting Taddy go!" Jack said softly, trying to get Ianto to look at him. "I love your Taddy and you're right. He did promise. I made promises too. Not been too good at keeping mine."

Ianto opened his eyes and wearily stared at his husband.

"Truce?" Jack asked, hands raised in surrender.

"And next time you get sick of me malingering?" Ianto whispered, then groaned as a collective growl told him it had been heard by everyone anyway.

"I didn't mean what I said and I most definitely didn't mean for you to hear anything that bloody baby monitor picked up. Please Ianto. Don't leave me just yet." Jack sobbed as he shuffled over on his knees to hug Ianto, catching their son in an impromptu sandwich.

Ianto nodded but caught John's eye. "Later," John mouthed as he saw the need for their own private conversation without Jack. Ianto smiled softly and nodded again, John was understood. 


	20. Chapter 20

Chap 20

The two men sat outside the office door. As Jack shuffled his feet while looking at the artworks hung across the room, Ianto was inspecting his fingernails.

Ianto was having a cold day. His coat was still buttoned up and a woollen beanie was pulled down over his ears.

Finally, the door to the inner office opened and a young woman stepped out in heels at least three inches high. They were as red as her mini skirt.

"The Misters Harkness-Jones?" she asked, looking around before settling her gaze on the two men.

Jack rose and offered Ianto a hand, but Ianto levered himself up without it so Jack shrugged and followed him into the room. There were chairs and a sofa facing inward in a circle at one end of the room. As the woman waved her hand towards the sofa, Ianto hesitated, then chose a wing-backed chair instead.

Jack sat in the other chair, and she delicately sat on the sofa.

"Well, gentlemen. I'm Doctor Frazier and I've already spoken with Doctor Harper, who has filled me in on your situation. Let me start by stating that accepting counselling is not an admission of failure." Dr Frazier shifted in her seat so she could cross her long, shapely legs.

Jack looked over at Ianto, who was back to studying his fingernails.

"Now. How about we start with this note?" She brandished the pros and cons list. Ianto jumped and then swung his head towards Jack with a glare.

"Doctor Harper provided me with this at your husband's request, Ianto. It seems you have raised quite a few valid points." Ianto flicked his gaze back to her as Jack tensed.

"It seems to me, reading this, that you feel a burden to your family. Also I can see that your young son is beginning to pull away from you as his parent." She looked over her horn-rimmed glasses as he nodded. "It must be upsetting for you since the first three years of his life were just the two of you."

"Well. It's been two with Jack. He really doesn't remember not having his Daddy," Ianto said softly, and she made a noise in her throat.

"You're not Daddy?" She tilted her head and her blonde ponytail flicked to the other shoulder.

"I'm Taddy. Welsh, you know." Ianto smiled softly and she smiled back.

"Walter chose to call me that. Not me. I thought I would be Uncle Jack, but Walter decided pretty early on that I was Daddy Jack, then after the hospital he dropped the Jack part all together," Jack clarified.

"Well. The beating must have been frightening for him. Seems to be quite the intelligent little monkey, according to Owen. He is rather fond of him." She leaned back and her white blouse moved to show the smart tailoring that hugged her ribcage and breasts perfectly.

"So, Ianto? I understand from Owen that you are quite independent, as I witnessed out there." She smiled wider. "I understand that you are not both in agreement to your going into care?"

"I don't want to be a bother anymore," Ianto said, and sighed as Jack then exploded.

"A bother! You're my husband. I want to care for you. I bloody love you. I can't stand the thought of you alone in a strange place, hurting and forgotten!" Jack seethed, folding his arms.

"Defensive, isn't he?" she said to Ianto. "Why do you want to go?"

"Jack is tired. Tired and fed up. Walter is going to suffer. I don't want my son to miss out on his happiness because of me." Ianto sighed, pulling his beanie off as the warmth of the office seeped into his bones.

"Oh! You kept your hair?" she enthused, and Ianto finally smiled.

"Only light in the darkness. Bad enough Walter sees me getting sick and weak. I don't want him to be afraid of me. Or his memories of me to be looking like that." Ianto shuddered.

"Memories? So, you think you're going to die?"

….


	21. Chapter 21

Chap 21

"Well. I don't know, but I can't help but worry. Walter is only five. I don't remember much from that age. He probably won't remember me at all when he's grown up," Ianto said softly as Jack ground his teeth.

"I mean, Jack will remarry and I'll just be a photo on the wall, then the dresser, then the drawer, and then just someone in an album." Ianto looked up and his eyes were brimming. "Walter doesn't really need me. Doesn't want cuddles or kisses from the zombie Tad. Not when he has Daddy to play with."

"So you feel replaced as a parent and will be replaced as a memory?" She reached out and placed a hand on Jack's arm as he went to speak, silencing him.

"Walter looks to Jack for everything. It's not his fault, or Jack's." Ianto gasped as he rushed to reassure Jack, "It's just what has happened. I hate to think what would have happened if Jack weren't in my life. Who will love my baby?"

"So that's how you see it? Jack's job is to take your place in Walter's life and heart?" She let go of Jack's arm as Jack began to relax again.

"What about what I want?" Jack said to Ianto, who looked up with surprise.

"What you want? You want it over. You want to have your life back," Ianto huffed.

"I want you. Better, well, healthy, safe, warm, mine." Jack moved to the edge of his chair and reached for Ianto's hand. "I want to take back those words I said when I was tired and so unbelievably stupid."

"But you left me. I was all alone and I fell and …" Ianto began to argue.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I was so tired and I thought the monitor was on. I will never forgive myself for leaving you that night. God, I still get so bloody angry at myself when I think of you on that cold floor all alone." Jack knew he was crying but didn't care. "I love you tiger."

"Jack. Stop. It's OK. I was the one who thought I could make it to the toilet in the dark when I had needed your help for weeks." Ianto sighed.

"Is he always this forgiving?" she asked Jack.

"Bloody too much. Sometimes I wish he would just yell or scream or something. Hit me even. He just forgives and forgives and forgives some more. God, my brother is an undercover cop and he got himself and Walter kidnapped. This one?" Jack cocked a thumb at Ianto. "Didn't even blink!"

"Actually, I threatened to disappear him, cariad," Ianto sighed with an eye roll.

"What?" Jack gaped.

"I told him that if he ever placed my family under threat again I'd have him disappeared in a nearby construction site!" Ianto snorted.

"Well, colourful analogy!" Dr Frazier laughed.

"My dead brother's husband is head of the Hoodlums. I have fought under the mantle of the Hoodlum Clan and I have counted crow on our enemies. I wasn't being artful. I was stating fact." Ianto now fixed her with the Jones stare and her smile faded as his mask fell away. "Anyone ever hurts my baby and I will flay them alive."

"And I will mop up the blood." Jack smiled at Ianto as he saw his husband for the first time in months. "I love you baby. God, I've missed you."

Ianto exhaled as Jack slid to the floor and buried his face in Ianto's chest. Ianto placed his arms around Jack's shaking shoulders and hugged him as tightly as he could. "Oh cariad. I'm sorry. I've already left you, haven't I?"


	22. Chapter 22

Chap 22

The ride home was done in silence. Walter was going to be picked up from school by Gray and Rhia as they hadn't known how long the counselling session would take. They made it inside but both knew they wouldn't make the bedroom.

As Jack fell to his knees, Ianto groaned with delight. Jack's hands were down Ianto's track pants and he was eagerly stroking Ianto into a frenzy.

They enjoyed the full softness and comfort of the shag pile carpet at which they had sniggered like children when they'd purchased it. As Jack finished preparing Ianto and slid into Ianto's hot pulsating arse, Ianto cried out with passion, urging Jack on.

Tosh wandered down from the upper floor with a book in her hand, past the grunting men, and as she reached the kitchen door she froze, then backed up. Ianto was on his back gasping for air as he pulled at Jack's hair. Jack was biting down on Ianto's neck as he thrust deeply into his husband.

Tosh stood for a few moments gasping for breath as she watched the debauchery. Ianto opened his eyes and looked straight at her, and she squeaked and blushed.

Ianto laughed and winked at her, causing her to giggle as she fled to the kitchen.

She used the side door to get back upstairs, and Owen was more than pleasantly surprised when she flew into the bedroom and tore the research paper from his hands as she tore at her own blouse with a growl of lust.

Gray and Rhia used their key to enter the firehouse. Walter and Gray were still struggling out of their boots when Rhia let out a squeal. Owen and Tosh rushed down the stairs semi-clad to see Jack and Ianto rolling the fake bearskin around themselves as they laughed.

"You bloody bastards! Need some time for your relationship? I call that bloody shagging, you sexed-up maniacs!" Rhia screamed as Ianto started to choke.

Owen pushed past Rhia and leaned over Ianto, thumping his back. "You OK mate?"

"Shit Owen! You put your shirt on but not your pants?" Gray chortled as the bare arse was flashed at them.

"Oi! Don't be a hater!" Owen retorted as Tosh returned with a blanket for Ianto.

Walter had entered the room and upon seeing his fathers on the floor threw himself at them.

As the two men kissed and cuddled their son, Gray looked over at Owen. Owen was pulling at his shirt to cover himself as he hissed at Tosh for another blanket.

When everyone was fully dressed and Ianto's coffee distributed without prejudice, Gray reached across the table for Jack's arm.

"We know the sex of the baby," he stage-whispered, and Ianto gasped with excitement.

"I don't think we should tell," Rhia said with a serious face although her dancing eyes betrayed her mirth.

"Oh! Rhi-rhi, don't be mean. I'll tell Taddy!" Ianto whined.

"Tattletale! Always were Taddy's favourite!" she huffed, then poked her tongue at him.

"Go on, what is it?" Jack asked his brother, the two ignoring the siblings as they knew this could get worse.

"Girl. I'm going to have a daughter," Gray preened, and Ianto sighed with a soft smile.

"Hear that, bug? A little girl!" Ianto grinned.

Walter screwed up his nose. "Yuck."


	23. Chapter 23

Chap 23

Since counselling had started, Ianto and Jack had started talking. Not just talking, but communicating. The only fly in the ointment seemed to be the counsellor who kept bringing up Ianto's past. Just like her rising hems, it raised his ire.

First it was Lisa, then Idris and Eugene. Now she had her sights on his parents. All of them.

"Look, I don't see the point in this!" Ianto sighed.

"Please. Your mother died when you were what, six? Must have impacted you," she said. "You said you don't remember much from earlier than five, so you must remember her."

Ianto sighed and looked at Jack, who shrugged. "You did agree to answer all questions."

"Yes. I lost my mother on my sixth birthday. She was in the cellar. I found her. Next question please," Ianto growled as he folded his arms.

"No need to be defensive," she said, patting his leg as he glowered at her. How many times did he have to say he did not like physical contact? Even Jack frowned at her constant touching.

"Your father was not your real father, was he?" She sat back showing more leg, and Ianto sighed again.

"No. He got the mumps after Rhiannon came along and Mam really wanted another baby so she asked her ex-husband and his husband to help since she had done a baby for them already," Ianto droned. "Ta-da! One bouncing baby boy!"

"Yan," Jack admonished softly. "Ianto was a twin. Unfortunately the other baby, his twin, was dead."

Jack frowned at Ianto's display of grumpiness. "He was a wee bit premature but as you can see, strong."

"Sorry. I hate talking about this," Ianto said softly.

"You hate talking about them. Is it your father?" She tipped her head and shifted in her seat.

"You were ten when he died. Then your natural father and his husband took you two kids and adopted you, right?" She looked at her notes and missed Jack frowning at Ianto's snort.

"Yes. Ten when the fucker died. Yes, Dad and Tad took me in and Rhia too. I became a spoilt little monster who rebelled in my teens. I shocked my dads, joined my brother's gang, and then proceeded to tear it all up. My whole life. Then my brother died in a horrible hit and run, my family finally disowned me, I disowned the gang and found Lisa." Ianto was angry now. "Look, I'm sorry but I don't see what this has to do with us. Jack knows all this bit. I'm not the only secret-holder here!"

Jack stopped looking at his hands to avoid the display and looked up at Ianto with surprise. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing I will ever repeat." Ianto frowned as Dr Frazer moved again to part her legs. _Black panties?_ Ianto looked over at Jack who was almost blushing as he looked at his hands again.

Jack cleared his throat to show his discomfort, and Ianto stood. "Sorry, need the loo."

As Ianto left the room, he shot Jack a glare that told him to fix it. The flirting had stepped up a notch today and Ianto was uncomfortable with it. Both men were being openly propositioned. _Enough is enough!_

Jack looked back at Dr Frazer as she adjusted her skirt and smiled sweetly. Uncomfortable with the blatant flirting, he rose and looked at her snow globe collection displayed behind her desk. Jack frowned as he went over the conversation in the car on the way to today's fiasco. Ianto had been clear in his discomfort and Jack in his innocence. Now it was time to clear the air and he was formulating his polite let down.

At first it was Jack she targeted, and he could handle her with ease. After all, he had worked with Gwen Cooper for long enough. But the last two sessions she had started that touching thing with Ianto, which angered Jack as much as it did Ianto. They did not do threesomes and Jack would not ever want another partner. If counselling had shown him one thing, it was how happy Ianto had made him. In _and_ out of the bedroom.

She walked over and leaned against the desk. Was another blouse button undone?

"Jack, we know he will be some time with his hand cleaning rituals. Let's talk, shall we?" she purred.

Jack turned to do just that and instantly her lips were on his as he struggled. She grabbed the hand he was pushing against her shoulder, leaving the other one against her chest. Her hand pushed his under her little skirt, where she was wet. He tried to pull away, but shock had slowed his reflexes.

"JACK!" Ianto stood in the doorway with his mouth open as he watched his husband try to loosen her grip on his groin.

Both of them froze as Ianto stared at them. Jack's left hand was on her breast, his right was up her skirt as she squirmed against the desk. Jack was shaking his hips in an attempt to avoid her grabbing right hand that was intent on finding his dick, her left up her skirt with Jack's hand.

"Ianto, wait. it's not-" the door slammed behind Ianto as he fled- "… what you think."


	24. Chapter 24

Chap 24

Ianto didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He knew what he just saw. He saw his husband in a tryst with their counsellor. He also saw the abject horror on Jack's face before he spoke to alert them to his presence. Deep down he knew Jack was not to blame here, but he had warned him. Christ, Ianto had warned him so many times about her and Jack kept saying he could handle her. Well she was handled now, yeah?

Jack had told Ianto that he was giving no cause for the flirting, even trying the old imagining things speech before admitting that it was a bit creepy. But it had been working. The counselling, not the flirting. Ianto did quietly wonder at first if the sex after each session was really for him or not but then dismissed it as silly to doubt Jack. Now this.

Ianto stumbled out into the rain and stood in the downfall. Rain. Never been a friend to him. With a sigh he began walking, not knowing where he was going but not caring either. Eventually, he found himself outside a small café where he occasionally went during lunch breaks.

Settling into a seat under the canopy of the café, Ianto took out his mobile and turned it on. It had been off for the counselling session and now it wolf whistled continually as several text messages came through at once. Ignoring them as they were all probably Jack, he called Idris.

While he waited for his ride, he took a look in the window of the craft shop next door. _Might find something useful for one of the kids._ David's birthday was not far off.

The SUV arrived soon after Ianto had exited the shop laden with bags, and he wearily climbed into the Kermitmobile. As he was ferried back to the compound, a plan began to form. That bitch was going to learn what sort of man she was dealing with. Never underestimate an angry genius. Especially one with his unique skill set.

.

.

.

Jack had looked everywhere and was getting desperate. Ianto was nowhere he could think of, and now Walter needed picking up from Rhia's. He'd already checked earlier there but no-one was home. He rolled into the driveway a second time to find her people mover still missing. He swore; she was late.

With a snarl, Jack swung the SUV back into the road. Where the hell was everyone? His only comfort was that at least the rain had stopped.

.

.

"No husband today?" Ianto was asked, and he shook his head as he settled into his specialist's sofa.

"Well, I won't keep you in suspense. I have your results. As I explained, this meeting was to decide if another course of treatment is necessary or if we can commence with a little radium on the side," Ianto was told, and he nodded.

"Well, Ianto. We are a bit stumped by your test results but this sometimes happens. I've consulted with several colleagues and we are all in agreement." Ianto was looking up now with an eyebrow raised.

He slid to the edge of his seat as waited to hear his fate.

.

.

.

Jack pulled into his driveway and stared at the people mover in his spot. Damn it!

The sound of laughter led him to Walter, playing with his cousins on the back lawn of the firehouse. Jack had forgotten that they were all meeting back at home today. With the rain gone, it was a lovely afternoon.

A small niggle in the back of his mind told him he had forgotten something else but he couldn't grasp it for the life of him.

No Ianto. No choice but to come clean. Jack whispered the whole thing to a scandalised Gray as the rest of the family played. Everyone stopped playing to watch Gray shaking Jack by his coat lapels.

.

.

.

Ianto stood outside the slut's office. Well, her office window anyway. The rain had given way to a blinding afternoon. _Time to get to work, Mr Harkness-Jones._

The parkour was not forgotten as muscle memory kicked in. _Nice to know that after all this time some things can be relied on._ It had been easy to scale the ten-storey building to find her office. His black clothing felt like a second skin, and more than once he caught himself humming. God, was he having _fun_?

He slipped the flick blade along the framework and felt the tell-tale hook of the catch. He swung the window out and slid into the room. The large electromagnet in his pocket made a dull thudding noise as it attached to the side of the computer modem. After counting to ten, he removed it and slipped it back in his pocket, removing something from the other pocket. He quickly headed for the snow globes, choosing one as a memento and replacing it with his own offering to the Slut Goddess.

He could hear her voice outside the door as she spoke with her receptionist. _Afternoon tea over, then._ The fish from his pocket was flicked beneath the sofa as he headed for the window. With a snigger, he stepped back out onto the window ledge and hummed softly as he slid the eight stories down the drainpipe to the alley where Skidmark was waiting.

"Still got it Toto!" he declared as Ianto grinned, brandishing a snow globe.

 _Hope she enjoys her "Turd" one._ Ianto was quite proud of it. _That make-your-own snow globe kit was such a good buy._


	25. Chapter 25

Chap 25

When Ianto opened the front door, Jack was almost in tears. He rushed at him, and Ianto cringed. Jack paused as he saw the flinch, and sighed. This counselling had brought up a lot of stuff. Ianto had told Jack in the safety of their bed about his father and his bullying fists. This flinching was new to Jack but apparently not to Rhiannon, who made a growling noise and pushed past Jack.

"Where have you been, ya bloody shite? We've been worried sick!" she admonished, pulling him against her amble breasts.

"Sorry Rhia. I was with Skidmark. Took a ride and did a few jobbies," he muttered into her left boob.

Her sigh told him that she could guess what he meant by 'jobbies' but would let it go. Once she'd loosened her grip, he straightened up and smiled to reassure her, then turned to face the room.

"David, your birthday isn't until next week but I saw this remote control car and …." Anything else he may have said was lost in the shriek as David rushed him.

Snatching the bag Ianto was holding out, David promptly upended it onto the floor and let a huge box slide out. The boxes of batteries in the bottom fell like confetti.

Two smaller bags were rattled at the two remaining kids still sitting on the floor surrounded by crayons. "No fun without a bit of competition, eh? Purple one is Mica's, her favourite colour, and as for my little beast, a Kermit car just like Uncle Skiddy's."

Jack held his tongue as they set about powering up the cars and helping the kids learn how to control them. Ianto had retired to the kitchen with Rhia, who pounded him with questions which he ignored. They returned to the deck with drinks, glad of the burst of sun as the kids yelled and shrieked as they ran after their cars while Myfanwy simply chased the kids.

While Gray helped build ramps for the children with Owen, Tosh and Rhia went back to the kitchen to get a second pot of tea going as well as some food. The evening air was still warm, and Ianto sat back on the seat as it slowly swung. Jack sat next to him and tried to formulate an appropriate apology.

Ianto reached out and quietly squeezed Jack's hand and settled against him. "Line, Jack. Yeah?"

"I love you," Jack whispered as the night quietly surrounded them.

.

.

.

It was in the early hours of morning when Jack woke. He lay in the dark wondering what had woken him until he heard the whimper from beside him. _Oh God, Ianto._

Jack pulled his husband into his arms as Ianto shuddered, locked in a nightmare.

"Mammy," Ianto cried as he sobbed. Jack could only kiss him and shush him hopelessly.

Then Ianto was screaming. Struggling and crying out for his mother, again and again.

Light flooded the room as Owen flipped the switch by the door. Tosh followed behind him and they reached the bed as Ianto finally broke away from the nightmare.

"NO." He sat up and looked around with wild eyes.

"It's OK babe, it's OK. You're safe. You're home," Jack soothed as he pulled Ianto back into his arms.

"Oh my mammy," Ianto wailed into Jack's chest as Tosh climbed into the bed to hug him from behind.

"Christ mate, you OK?" Owen asked as he rubbed Ianto's shoulder awkwardly.

"Me Mammy. Oh God, I saw me Mammy," Ianto hiccupped. "Hanging in the basement."


	26. Chapter 26

Chap 26

Hot toddies all around were called for, and it showed Ianto's shock that he didn't even growl when Tosh used the mugs reserved for hot chocolate. Usually she would have been in some serious trouble for that misuse of mugs.

They settled on two of the four huge sofas Ianto had splotched down in no apparent order but once they all sat it was obvious that they all were artfully angled so everyone could see the widescreen TV but also see each other. The large coffee tables were perfect for Walter to colour or draw at while the hot toddies were at the perfect height to tuck your feet and still reach out for the mugs.

Jack and Ianto settled on one of the middle ones, with Tosh and Owen choosing the other middle one, Ianto snuggling into Jack's arms while Tosh settled against Owen without a second thought. As Owen drew her tighter against his chest, she looked anxiously at her friend.

"I was only a little boy. She said she would never leave me and then she went and …" Ianto choked and took a shuddering breath.

"It's OK Ianto, you don't have to tell us if you don't want to," Owen assured him, and Ianto smiled over at his friends.

"It's OK Owen. I want to. Me Mam hung herself while I was at school. Rhia had some afterschool activity so she dropped me at the gate and took off with her mate. I don't remember what it was but I do remember that she was angry that she had to drop me off. I stomped up the path and found the door locked. I went around the back and called out to Mammy as I hung up me bag," Ianto explained, and Jack looked over at Owen to see if he was picking up the grammar Ianto was using. His voice was soft and he sounded more like Walter, more like a child than the strong man Jack had married.

"It's OK sweetheart. Go on," Jack urged with his hand rubbing Ianto's chest.

"I couldn't find her. So I started going from room to room. Finally I went to the basement. Down those scary dark stairs. I kept calling out cos I didn't want to go down. Oh God. Mammy," Ianto whispered. A tear escaped.

"I saw her slippers first. Pink ones. Swinging back and forth. Then her house coat. Then her face. Her face! Oh, me Mammy was such a beautiful lady and when I saw her face…" Ianto shook his head and Jack pulled his head into his shoulder.

"No more hon. It's OK. God," Jack soothed his husband as he sniffled.

After a few minutes, Ianto straightened and Jack knew the Line was coming. To offset this, Jack reached for the mug with his name scrawled on it in Walter's spidery script and politely asked Owen if he wanted to put some big boy pants on now.

Owen's blush was the icebreaker to lighten the mood and he stomped off muttering that some people needed to lighten up as he pulled his boxer shorts from his arse crack.

"I know they're too small but he won't bring more over. Says it's the same as moving in," Tosh sighed.

"So he has a drawer then?" Ianto asked as he accepted his mug from Jack.

"Yes. He says that's different," Tosh sniffed.

"Oh honey. Just bloody buy him some new ones and put them in the drawer," Ianto scoffed, and took a sip as he watched Tosh's face light up.

"How do you think I change Jack's over? God, this man goes through so many pairs of boxers I sometimes think Myfanwy has been wearing them. He never looks, just grabs a pair and puts them on," Ianto informed her.

"Hey! I said thanks for that pair you got me the other month!" Jack said in a hurt tone, then leaned over to address Tosh. "They had little acme bombs on them!"

"Four pairs, Jack. I put four new pairs in the drawer and that was the bottom pair," Ianto huffed, and Tosh laughed.

"Really?" Jack asked with his eyebrows raised.

Owen returned to laughter and shook his head. _As changeable as the weather, this lot._


	27. Chapter 27

Chap 27

John Hart arrived while Jack was walking Walter to school. Ianto had been expecting him since the unspoken look the other day. Ianto made coffee while John sat at the breakfast bar.

"Here you go, now tell me what you need," Ianto got down to business.

"They told me you were a hard man to blow smoke at," John snorted.

"John, the way you looked at me told me you needed to talk to me. You've chosen a time when you knew Jack walks the beast to school and I'm alone. Whatever you want to say or ask, it's important," Ianto clarified and then waited.

"Martha. We were talking and she started to tell me about your brother. Well." John cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, causing Ianto to frown at his discomfort.

"Seven years ago?" John said more than asked, and Ianto nodded.

"A black sedan, they never even tried to track it down," John again made a factual statement... Ianto cleared his throat then sipped his coffee.

"He died at the scene. Not pretty. Martha and Idris were there and at first they said it was you driving." This caused Ianto to snort, and he looked out the window.

"You had no alibi and were considered a person of interest. It tore your family apart, didn't it?" John sighed.

"Finally you took a lie detector test and they dropped you down the list. Then it happened again and they caught the guy. Turned out to be from a rival crew and he admitted to your brother as well as another one they hadn't connected to your gang," John said.

"Not my gang. Gene's," Ianto clarified, smiling.

"It took two years to clear you. In that time you met Lisa, married and moved on. Broke all ties to the gang and your family. It was only her death that brought you back to your family. Even now, you aren't as comfortable with them as you'd like," John said, and Ianto growled softly.

"Why the history lesson, John?" Ianto demanded as his patience waned.

"Gray. He was in the car. Not the driver, but he was the one who finally blew the whistle when his undercover term was over with the gang, after his cover was blown," John informed him.

Ianto sat staring at the now empty mug, then rose and began wiping down the immaculate benchtop.

"Ianto, I needed to tell you. I watch him around you and I don't know if he's said anything or not. Sooner or later it'll come up and your sister, well. She needs to know."

"Why? Really, John. Why are you putting his pot on?" Ianto asked.

"God, I've not heard that term since me granny …" John laughed, then sighed. "He's not a nice person. You know that already. I see the way you measure him. You needed to know! The case is under review since the bloody idiot pulled the file after meeting you. The new computer system pinged it upstairs before he shut it down. Red flags are not a good thing for an undercover."

"Yeah, ta John. I already did know. Who do you think blew his cover?" Ianto finally uttered. John gaped.

"I was the one who dobbed in the driver after I beat him half to death." Ianto walked from the kitchen leaving John staring at the spot where Ianto had previously stood.


	28. Chapter 28

Chap 28

Jack was going over his diary as he tried to get his accounts in order. The last two files were closed, and now that he and John were doing so well he finally had time to get his invoices sorted. Flicking back through the last month, he frowned as he looked at the day when he thought he had lost Ianto. Why was "Dr's App" written twice?

Jack leaned back in his chair and frowned some more, looked up at the sky through his wonderful skylight, then slammed the chair back down from its two back legs as he had a moment of clarity.

 _Two appointments. Two doctors. Shit!_ Jack had missed the specialist's appointment later that day. Jack sprung from the chair and rushed to the kitchen, only to find it empty. He opened the high cupboard to check Ianto's medications to find it bare.

Jack searched frantically and found Ianto in the garden. He was weeding the patch by the deck and humming softly as he worked. Looking up, Ianto smiled at his husband.

"You aren't taking your medications!" Jack barked out, and Ianto frowned.

"What?" Ianto asked, rising to brush his trousers with trembling fingers. He knew this was coming and didn't want what was pending.

"You stopped taking your oral chemo. What's going on?" Jack demanded, hands on hips.

"I beg your fucking pardon, sir! If you really wanted to know you should have been coming to me appointments!" Ianto snarled. "Only ones you ever remembered were with that bitch!"

"Oi! That's not fair and you know it!" Jack roared, grabbing at Ianto as he tried to slip past.

"You want to know? You could have asked. You've had two weeks to ask. All you ask is 'when's tea?', 'where's Walter?' and 'can we have a quickie while he's napping?'!" Ianto scoffed, and Jack pulled Ianto closer.

"Twice since that day you've let me near you. I'm feeling like a lord and master demanding my carnal rights." Jack's eyes narrowed as he had another thought. "You've had more since, without me!"

"My body. My choice. You didn't need to be there, I tried to ask you just Monday and you said you were too busy for one of my errands," Ianto muttered, and Jack groaned as he remembered saying that. He also remembered the hurt expression Ianto had masked away quickly.

"Oh God. I've been trying so hard to get this agency on its feet and Gray is having ..." Jack sighed again and looked at Ianto, who was openly gaping.

"Gray? You keep fobbing me off because Gray needs you?" Ianto growled.

"Hey. He's my brother! Shit hits the fan and that's when he needs me!" Jack defended himself.

"Let me guess. An old undercover case is biting him in the arse and he needs a shoulder to cry on while the review board climbs up his arse!" Ianto yanked his arm from Jack's grip. "Nice to know a vocational emergency trumps cancer!"

"What was John doing here the other day? We didn't have a meeting and he was gone before I got back." Jack changed the subject so suddenly that Ianto was unable to censor his answer.

"He came to see me! Can't I have friends now?" Ianto shot back, shocked that Jack had been checking the CCTV camera above their door.

"He came to see you. Why?" Jack was in Ianto's face with a look of thunder.

"Take your fucking hands off me or I will fucking deck you." Ianto's voice was low and the threat was real.

Jack stepped back and held his hands up in surrender.

"If you really must know, ask your brother. He's the one who didn't let sleeping dogs lie!" Ianto stalked inside, leaving Jack alone.


	29. Chapter 29

Chap 29

Ianto was still steaming as he dished the evening meal. As he carried hot plates through to the dining table, Walter flew past hooting at Jack while laughing at some game they were playing. As they collided, Walter's head pushed the air from Ianto's lungs and threw them both back against the doorframe. Ianto barely had time to register the hit before he was on his back, blinking up at Owen's worried face.

"Hey, just lay for a sec and get your wits back, yeah?" Owen said softly as his hands continued to slide over Ianto's body.

"You couldn't wait till he left? If you wanted a taste you only needed to ask, Owen. Ever since you wore those boxer shorts I've been waiting for you to make your next move," Ianto joked, and he frowned as he heard the slur in his words.

"OK, sit him up, slowly," Owen advised, and Ianto felt Jack's trembling hands help him into a sitting position.

"Owen!" Ianto barked as he felt vomit in the back of his throat, and as he threw up all over his pristine floor Owen swore softly.

Jack held him against his chest as he continued to dry heave.

"He has a nice egg on his head but I don't think he's badly concussed. A mild one though," Owen droned in the background. Ianto wanted to tell him to go away.

Gradually his senses came back and he was aware of someone's crying. Looking up from Jack's shoulder, he saw Walter crying in Tosh's arms as he watched his parents on the floor.

"Wally, come here baby," Ianto croaked, and Walter flew into his arms.

"Sorry Taddy, sorry," Walter sobbed into his father's chest.

"It was an accident, buggy bum. It's OK. Taddy's OK," Ianto soothed.

To Ianto's horror, the wail of an ambulance got closer, and he gaped at Owen, who stood to meet the EMTs. As they performed their checks, Ianto continued to fume. They declared Owen to be correct but wanted to take him to the emergency department just to make sure. Especially when Owen said he was undergoing Chemo.

"Actually, I'm in spontaneous remission," Ianto informed the room as he refused to go. "I'll not scare Walter even more!"

"Oh my God, when were you two going to tell us?" Tosh squealed, and Ianto finally looked at his husband.

"When I eventually told Jack, probably," Into said as Jack plucked Walter from his arms and walked into the kitchen.

Ianto followed them and watched silently as Jack served a fresh plate for Walter. "Go eat that in the other room, Walter."

"We don't let him eat in front of the telly when we have dinner, Jack!" Ianto admonished, and Jack rounded on him.

"Sorry. Were you talking to me? Oh. I didn't realise I warranted a conversation!" Jack snarled.

Ianto stepped back. He stared at Jack for a few moments, then turned and walked out of the kitchen.

"Ianto, wait!" Jack called, and hurried after Ianto, nearly falling over him as he knelt on the floor, picking up broken plates.

"Since you've dished Walt's, can you do everyone else's? I need to get this up before the beetroot stains the floorboards," Ianto said as he dumped a handful of spoilt food into the bucket he'd pulled over from by the fire for the ashes.

"Ianto." Jack squatted and reached out to him. Ianto's flinch hurt, and Jack withdrew his hand with a huff of displeasure.

"I'm sorry. Please. I don't like where we are," Jack sighed.

"No. Me neither, cariad." Ianto sighed, then frowned. He took a breath and Jack was watching him begin to form a word when a shriek made them both turn.

Walter had dropped the remainder of his food on the white fur rug.


	30. Chapter 30

Chap 30

Ianto slept with Walter that night, rising early to sort his son for school. Jack stood waiting to walk Walter to school and was hurt when Ianto kissed Walter then turned and walked away without a kiss for Jack. Then he realised he'd been doing the same thing to Ianto, and now he was ashamed.

Walter skipped along babbling about horses, dogs, and a rat. Jack registered the request for the rat and gave the usual response guaranteed to let him off the hook: "Ask your Tad."

"That's what he said," Walter sighed, pulling his hand from Jack's and thrusting them into his jacket pockets.

"Did he? When did you ask?" Jack was interested.

"Last night after we went to bed. He said no, then said it was up to you because he didn't care anymore." Walter kicked at the grass on the side of the path. "When he thought I was sleeping he cried a bit too."

Jack silently cursed and berated himself for not going into Walter's room like he had wanted to do after lights out. He had thought that Ianto might come to bed once Walter was asleep. _What a mess._

"Daddy?" Walter stopped walking and looked up with big eyes. "Are you and Taddy leaving each other? What will happen to me?"

Jack fell to his knees and pulled Walter into a hug. "No Buggy, me and Taddy will never leave each other, or you. We're just going through a rough patch. Grownups do that because we are too dumb to talk to each other properly."

"Why not?" Walter frowned. "You talk to me just fine."

Jack laughed and nodded. _Walter's right. Talking isn't really that hard, is it?_

.

.

.

Jack returned home to find Ianto out in the garden. He was weeding the memorial garden, and as he got closer he saw Ianto was crying. _Damn._

Jack sat quietly in a chair on the deck and watched as Ianto continued to weed, then sat back and sniffed as he searched his pockets for a handkerchief. Jack leaned forward and waved his; Ianto caught the motion and turned to look at him.

Jack saw the open sorrow on Ianto's face and slid from the chair, holding his arms out, and Ianto crawled into them. He sobbed against Jack's chest as he apologised, babbling into Jack's shirt.

Jack hugged him for a while, then pulled back and took his face in his hands. "Ianto, I'm the one who's sorry. I've been a shit, as usual. Only thinking about me. This has been a horrible, scary time for you and all I've done is pick and moan."

"Jack, we both need to work harder. For us and Walter," Ianto wailed.

"I know. Maybe a different therapist? One for us, not just you? I think I need guidance too," Jack whispered, kissing Ianto, who gave a snort.

"Can it be a man this time? Old, cardie-wearing man with big glasses and maybe a beard?" Ianto asked with big eyes.

"Robin Williams is dead hon, no _Good Will Hunting_ here," Jack murmured and was rewarded with a smile.

"Arse," Ianto sniffed.

"Yeah, but I'm your arse," Jack whispered, kissing Ianto with growing enthusiasm.

"Make-up sex? Really?" Ianto hiccupped.

"Please? I'm your arse, remember? Wanna use me?" Jack waggled his eyebrows, and Ianto laughed shakily.

"Here?" Ianto turned coy and Jack felt his cock respond.

"You propositioning me?" Jack gasped, grabbing at his breast like a shocked lady.

"Catch me if you can." Ianto sprang to his feet and took off down the garden as Jack gaped after him.

 _What a minx!_


	31. Chapter 31

Chap 31

Jack caught Ianto down behind the hydrangea bushes. With a squeak, Ianto went limp and docile. _Now who's the damsel?_

Jack leered and tore at Ianto's shirt with a growl. Ianto waited until he saw the chance, then he flipped them easily.

"You forget that you're my arse!" Ianto snarled as he bit at Jack's neck.

Jack gasped and writhed as Ianto slid his hand inside Jack's trousers and cupped his butt, then slid a finger down to rub the rim of his hole. Jack whimpered and begged, but Ianto withdrew his hand to find the lube in Jack's pocket. Slicked fingers returned and breached the needy bottom who was getting quite bossy.

Finally, Ianto pulled down Jack's trousers and took him into his mouth. Jack cried out as he was finger- and mouth-fucked.

When Ianto surged back up to kiss Jack, he could taste himself on Ianto, turning him on even more.

Jack knew he was begging but he wanted Ianto so bad that it burned. God, he burned. Ianto pushed into him slowly and Jack snarled as he pushed up, trying to hurry him along.

"Bossy Bum!" Ianto gasped as Jack clamped his legs together and whimpered hopefully. "OK, you asked for it."

Ianto began to move faster, hard snaps of his hips bringing Jack to the edge of heaven. Clothes lay about them like two young lovers having a quickie in the park, and as Jack's whimpers became loud cries of pleasure, Ianto joined in the vocal encouragements.

Jack came first, screaming Ianto's name as he convulsed in the soft moss. Ianto followed as Jack's muscles clamped down, and as Jack shot his load between them Ianto gasped and whined as he filled his husband.

They lay in the sun-dappled leaves catching their breath and that's where Rhia found them. Naked, debauched, and snoozing in each other's arms.

She hesitated, then retreated. Shocked at the sight of two men together, horrified that one was her wee brother, and maybe a little turned on at the thought of sex in the backyard.

Gray looked up from the teapot as she traipsed back into the kitchen. "Find them, baby?"

"Oh yeah! Two woodland nymphs frolicking in the bushes," she giggled, and Gray widened his eyes as he grasped what she was insinuating.

"Really? Wow!" Gray snorted.

"Yeah. Once this little one is out we have to try that!" Rhia enthused, and Gray choked on his first mouthful of tea.

"What? Do what?" Ianto stood in the doorway, impeccably dressed, and if it weren't for the leaves still in his hair you would never have known he was a dirty little boy.

Rhia narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to retort when Jack slid in behind him, slipping his hands around Ianto's hips. "Hey Gray. Rhia, you sumptuous thing you!"

"Oi, don't call my sister a thing, ya muppet," Ianto growled, and Jack squeaked.

Gray laughed at his brother acting contrite and Jack poked his tongue out.

"Don't poke tongues cariad, we're trying to break Walter out of that, remember?" Ianto intoned as he moved towards the coffee machine.

Gray gaped at Ianto because he hadn't looked back, so how did he know Jack was doing that? When he looked at Jack he saw a silly little boy in big boy clothes stalking Ianto as Ianto worked the machine.

"Do you want coffee or not?" Ianto said, and Jack froze halfway across the kitchen.

"Yes please?" Jack whined, sitting in the nearby chair.

As Ianto turned and placed the cup into grabby hands, he looked over at Gray. Gray took the hint and sat as well. A cup was placed down for him and then, to his surprise, one was offered to Rhia.

"A special Decaf sis," Ianto said softly, and she grinned. Trust him to find a coffee for her fix that wouldn't hurt bubs.

She watched over the top of her mug as Ianto settled into his husband's lap. She smiled.

The Jones family had landed on its feet.


	32. Chapter 32

Chap 32

Idris shifted from foot to foot at the door of the firehouse. This was going to be awkward; he knew Ianto could go either way on this one.

Ianto opened the door and let Idris in with a smile. "What a nice surprise, Idi."

Idris moved to one of the couches and rubbed his hands on his thighs, which was noticed by Ianto.

"What do you need, Idris?" Ianto asked coolly.

"I need a favour. A big one. I know you might say no and if you do I won't blame you," Idris murmured, looking at Walter's smiling picture on the side table.

"Oh Idi," Ianto sighed, sinking into a nearby chair. "Talk."

"You remember that problem I had about …" Idris began.

"This place isn't bugged. Jack sweeps regularly," Ianto interrupted, and Idris grinned.

"Yeah, shoulda known. Anyway, I had this girl interested in me. Couldn't say no. Gorgeous, she was, and I was a bit messy one night and I let her take some pics." Idris squirmed. "Then we broke up. Thing is, she's blackmailing me. I need to get those pics back and wonder if your man can do a bit of a growl. I can't because she would scream to the pigs and I'm still on probation."

"Why care? Tell her to make wallpaper with them. Idris, when have you cared about your body?" Ianto scoffed as he leaned back, certain this was a nothing deal.

"Since I'm the one in the fucking stockings and heels, Toto!" Idris snarled, and Ianto gaped.

"You let her take pics of you 'Dressed'?" Ianto moaned, and Idris looked up.

"You're not shocked?" Idris asked.

"Well, I'd be two-faced if I said I was. Jack and I have a dress-up kit ourselves." Ianto shrugged. It was Idris's turn to gape.

"Nah, you? Nah. Him, huh? Whoa, bet he's a pretty wife," Idris giggled, then let his smile slide as Ianto raised an eyebrow. "You shitting me?"

"I shit you not. Jack really likes a bed bath from Nurse Harkness-Jones and I actually feel quite sexy in silk." Ianto shrugged.

"Well, fuck me!" Idris snorted.

"Sorry. Only Jack gets that honour, if it's his turn," Ianto retorted, and they both laughed.

"Look, Idris. I'm not happy about this but I did promise Gene to always be a brother." Ianto face palmed. "Let me look at the lay of the place and get back to you. Give me her details."

Idris slid an envelope over and rose to leave.

"Where you going? Not having a coffee?" Ianto deftly slipped the envelope into his diary sitting on the table and rose, indication that they should move to the kitchen. Idris followed with relief etched into his features.

As they reached the kitchen, Ianto placed a hand on Idris's shoulder in an unspoken acceptance. Idris knew Ianto would help.


	33. Chapter 33

Chap 33

The moon was slightly obscured by clouds, but Ianto had a fine view of the street as he jogged along humming softly.

"Love you, cariad," Ianto said, then flicked the Bluetooth on his ear, turning left into the street that was his destination.

Instead of slowing, he picked up the pace and made a sharp right turn up the side lane. He reached up and grabbed the nearby drainpipe, swinging up onto the trash cans stacked along the wall. With a feather light push, he found his footing on the window sill, then his other foot found the brace for the drainpipe. Then he was on the next window ledge up above the first. He grabbed at the drainpipe and swung himself over to the next window along. Then he stretched up, hooking his fingers in the balcony edge above. He effortlessly hoisted himself up, a foot flick helping him to the balcony railing. With a turn of his hips, Ianto was over the rail and on the balcony.

John Hart was watching, his mouth open as he strained to see out the SUV window. Jack leaned over and thumped him. "Don't look. He hates that!"

Hart grunted but didn't stop looking as Ianto knelt at the sliding door. He was in within six seconds, and Hart swore softly as Ianto disappeared into the flat.

Ianto looked around and tried to remember the blueprints Jack had provided. Turning into the bedroom, he knelt and felt around on the floor. Tacky purple shag pile, Ianto hated touching it at all and growled softly, imagining the shower he would need after this. _Bath, maybe. Maybe Jack wants one too?_

The edge of the carpet was found by his fingertips and he pushed gently until there was a click. A section of floor rose and flapped back. Ianto leaned over the hole and smiled as he silently thanked John for his knowledge of the building. Seemed all flats on this floor had these safes, wonderful things.

Ianto cleaned out the floor safe and deposited everything into the backpack he had brought with him. He stood to leave and hesitated. He couldn't believe it – a snow globe mocked him.

Ianto looked for any photos and finally found that this was just a coincidence. Not the home of Dr Slut after all. After a moment's thought, he scooped it up and dropped it into the pack. _Why not?_

He left as he had entered, then shimmied down the pipe and ran past the SUV with a wink. John Hart twisted in his seat to watch his arse as he pounded away with the backpack in place, black tracksuit hugging all the right places.

"If you don't look away soon, I'll have to shoot you," Jack said as he gunned the black beauty into the traffic.

"You lucky bastard," John muttered as he slid down in his seat and Jack laughed softly to himself.

Jack grinned manically as he shifted gears. John had no idea. Jack hoped to get home before Ianto in order to have the bath ready. God, he was gorgeous, and Jack knew from the way Ianto had leered through the window as he winked that he was more than up for a jump of another kind.

.

.

.

Ianto entered the firehouse and took a deep breath. The light jog home had him sweaty and he peeled the backpack from his shoulder, flicking it into the coat rack.

He smelt grapes, giggling when he realised Jack was using Walter's bubble bath. _Oh. Bubble bath._ Ianto hurried to the bathroom, shedding clothes as he went. Jack was already in the water, snoozing as the bubbles lapped at his belly.

Ianto slid into the water and moved through the bubbles humming the _Jaws_ theme music. Jack opened his eyes lazily and grinned as his Welshman stalked him in the deep.

Hands touched his knees, thighs, then hips as Ianto straddled him, their erections touching as the water moved them about.

Messy kisses and some waterproof lube later, Ianto was impaled on his husband as he bounced energetically in the water, fingers gripping the edge of the large tub behind Jack's shoulders. Jack's head lolled back against the bath pillow as he drifted lustily in the water, Ianto's grunts and whimpers turning his brain to mush.

As Ianto felt himself growing close to completion, he let his hands move to Jack's shoulders. Jack reached up for Ianto's arms and they looked into each other's eyes as they rocked the water from the tub, out onto the tiles.

"Jack!" Ianto screamed, rising up and slamming down, his orgasm working his hips as Jack squealed through his own release.

As they lay in the still rolling water, Ianto started to giggle.

"What?" Jack gasped as he rubbed Ianto's back.

"You squealed," Ianto snorted, kissing his throat.

"Your fault, god. Thought I was having a heart attack, I swear to god! I lost my sight for a while!" Jack laughed along with him and they cuddled in the warm water, bubbles kissing at their skin.


	34. Chapter 34

Chap 34

John was poring over the contents of the backpack. Ianto had extracted the photo packets from the mess and was quietly sifting through them as John hooted at another discovered flash drive.

Jack had been surprised when Ianto had waltzed into his office and upended the bag onto his desk, especially when John was there, but Ianto had just shrugged and let them all dive in.

The flash drives were to go to Tosh in case there were viruses on board. Also, Ianto knew she would delete anything Idris-related she came across before letting John have them back.

"Fuck!" Ianto exclaimed, sitting forward so the other packets fell to the ground as he gripped one with shock.

"Hon?" Jack looked up from the love letter he was smirking at and Ianto waved the pictures in his line of sight.

Jack hooted with laughter as he snatched the photos and rose from his seat.

"What is it Captain?" John asked, leaning over the desk to see. "FUCK!"

"That's a bad word, Uncle John," Walter declared as he entered the room. "I'm hungry, Taddy!"

Ianto hastily began to gather up the photos that had scattered when John tried to drag them from Jack's grip but he wasn't quite quick enough.

"Tadda? Is that Uncle Stinky?" Walter asked, pointing. "Why is he in a dress?"

John roared with laughter and slapped his leg as Ianto blushed. Jack tried to help but this led to the stack of photograph packs being knocked over.

"That man in a nappy looks like my teacher!" Walter pointed, and Ianto looked down with horror.

Walter's teacher, seventy-three-year-old Mr Endron in all his glory. A large cloth nappy bulged under his beer belly, which was reddened with hand prints visible on his skin.

Ianto snatched it up and shakily handed it to Jack, who tried to stifle his snorts of laughter.

"Good dress-up costume," Ianto tried a jovial tone and was rewarded when Walter nodded.

"He forgot a teddy though, I would have had a teddy too," Walter declared as he wandered back out of the room. "Crap costume really. He's not even bald."

The sound of the television filled the downstairs space and Ianto let loose peals of laughter as he leaned against John's chair.

Jack rose and scooped the pictures into a document file box. "Find them, hon?"

"Yep. God, I need to bleach my eyeballs now," Ianto shot over his shoulder as he went to feed the hungry child.

After he had left, John reached for the box again. "Just for er ... just research."

"You looking for those ones of the blonde bazooka then you are fresh out of luck, John," Jack advised as John dug in the box.

"Ah, fuck. Come on, Jack. Did you see the size of those tits? God, that dildo looked way too big, even for her," he whined, still digging.

"I told you, John. Fresh out of! Ianto palmed them before he left," Jack sung as he wondered how randy his man would be after lights out tonight.


	35. Chapter 35

35.

Ianto was struggling with shopping bags as he tried to insert the key in his front door. He felt, rather than heard, the approach of someone and turned to see three men entering the open gate.

"Can I help you?" Ianto asked politely as he placed the bags on the front step.

"Hello Yani," the middle man spoke, and Ianto gasped as he recognised Lisa's cousin, Daniel.

"Er, Daniel? What are you doing here?" Ianto frowned. "You know I hate that name, why do you all insist on calling me that? Even Lisa asked you all to stop."

"So you remember me then," Daniel said with a snort. "Shame our boy isn't allowed the same right. Don't you think it would be fair to let Aunty Hettie see her grandson? She's just an old woman who has nothing left."

"Please get off my property," Ianto said quietly as he felt in his pockets for his phone.

"Technically this is Lisa's property since it's her money that paid for this love shack of yours, boy," Daniel snarled, and Ianto shakily speed-dialled Jack's number.

"Is he home? Your pufter fella?" the one on the left spoke and snorted as Ianto stepped back against the door.

"Where is Walter? School is out, I know which one and I saw that Asian bitch pick him up. She your nanny then? She part of the set up?" Daniel stepped forward and into Ianto's personal space.

"Get out of my face, Daniel. This is not the way to go. I told your aunt and uncle that I would consider things when I was ready, not before. You think this is-" Ianto was cut off as Daniel shoved his shoulder and Ianto hit the door with a grunt of pain.

Daniel snarled into Ianto's face. "You listen to me, you jumped up Welsh rabbit, my-"

"Get the fuck away from him," Idris snarled from the gate, and Ianto sagged with relief.

"Idris?" One of the men visibly shuddered as he stepped quickly away from the two men at the door.

"You heard me, motherfucker. Take your carcass off me brodda's nose." Idris stepped forward and trained the small pistol he had effortlessly drawn from a side pocket.

Daniel gaped and slowly moved away with his hands held high.

"Good boy. Now fuck off," Idris spat as he stepped between Ianto and Daniel to glare at the black man.

A screech of brakes heralded Jack's arrival and he was out of the SUV and roaring up the path in fluid movements, intent on getting to Ianto.

One of Daniel's crew grabbed Jack's arm and found himself in the hydrangeas as Jack casually shoved him off. Reaching his husband, Jack turned to flank Idris with a matching glare, and his coat flared out to show his Webley as he reached for it with a snarl.

"Fuck!" Daniel exclaimed as he backed away towards the gate.

"Touch my family and I'll fucking kill you, you hear me?" Jack snarled, and Daniel bristled back.

"Yeah? Like you killed Marcus?" he accused, and Jack laughed.

"I was fighting for my life in hospital when he was killed, check your fucking facts. As for facts, I am Walter's other father. Legally and morally. My name on his new birth certificate. No Hallett in sight. When he's older we will tell him about her and why he has my name. You and yours? Never going to be a part of my son's life."

"Walter needs to know his family, Yani!" Daniel puffed out his chest.

"Fuck off, Hallett!" Jack snorted as he placed his hands on his hips. "Don't call him that. His name is Ianto. Ianto Harkness-Jones."

"Our son has all the family he needs," Ianto declared as he felt a swell of pride for his husband standing there like a romance novel cover in his hero pose.

"My nephew is well loved and protected. You touch my family, you deal with my attentions as well. If you don't know who I am, ask your boy there locking himself in the car." Idris pointed, and Daniel turned and glared as he saw his mate cowering in the backseat.

Idris leaned into Daniel's face. "Hoodlums protect their own."


	36. Chapter 36

Chap 36.

Once inside, Ianto started to shake with anger as he realised how fragile and afraid he had appeared to everyone. He had thought he was recovered but this had shown him that he still had some way to go before he was back to fighting fit. He spent the next half hour taking deep, calming breaths as he imagined ways to kill and dismember the Halletts.

If nothing else, he really needed his fight back as he watched Jack rage, and knew he was freaking out at how close they had come to disaster.

The first time, Tosh had picked Walter up instead of Ianto due to an appointment in town running over. The key in the door stopped all anger as Tosh opened the door and let Walter into his home.

Walter ran straight for his Taddy and proudly showed Ianto his drawing of a horse. Well, Ianto thought it was a horse, and Walter shrieked with laughter as he corrected his father that it was Myfanwy.

Ianto frowned and looked over at Jack. All that shouting and anger, no sound from Myf? Jack had thought the same thing, and quietly made his way to the back door. Sliding open the French doors, Jack leaned out and called the dog.

Ianto pushed past him with a frantic whine and stumbled out onto the patio. Ianto scanned the backyard and with a bark of rage, ran to the boundary fence that faced the vacant lot next door. The hole in the fence was huge, the planks pulled off and stacked, nails and all. This fact that the planks lay piled neatly on the outside of the fence was not lost on anyone, and Jack swore as he patted his pockets for his phone and stormed back inside.

Ianto was beside himself with fear. _Did they take her? Did they hurt her?_

A bark of laughter was heard and Ianto stepped gingerly through the hole to find his dog calmly sitting by the planks with a shoe in her mouth. As Ianto held out his hand, she dropped the shoe delicately into his palm and trotted back inside the hole.

Ianto looked at the black trainer with neon orange laces and wondered if Daniel liked driving home in a socked foot.

Gwen and Andy arrived at the same time as John Hart, who went to Ianto first to check that he was OK.

Jack felt unusually jealous and swallowed the urge to object to John's touches to Ianto's arm. It reminded him of the therapist's office, and now he knew how Ianto had felt.

As everyone calmed down, Ianto again asked how secure they were and Jack demanded a protection order against the Halletts.

As far as he was concerned, they had done their dash and proved they were not to be trusted. As he made sure their security was up and running, Gwen took a copy of the CCTV footage showing the assault on Ianto.

When Jack saw that slimy prick put his hand on Ianto and shove him, he clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails left crescents in his palms.

After the police had left to find a judge for the orders, Jack turned to face Idris.

"Well? You wanted to help? I want around the clock protection for my family," Jack demanded as Ianto rose to protest. "No Ianto! I'm not open for discussion on this one. I don't care if it means letting this place become Idris's office. My family is going to be safe!"

"Jack, it's OK," Ianto soothed, as Jack hugged him tightly. "I'm safe. We're safe. You're here."


	37. Chapter 37

Chap 37

A new routine formed over the next few days. Walter and Tosh were shadowed at all times by Idris's men. Ianto found himself on house arrest with Jack the warden. Not that Ianto was complaining, those conjugal visits were hard to beat.

"Please, Warden Harkness-Jones, I didn't do anything," Ianto whined as he knelt with his hands behind his head.

"Yeah? That's for me to decide, dog!" Jack snarled as he paced around the man, licking his lips with growing excitement.

Ianto was naked and his erection was so inviting that Jack's mouth was watering. _God, what a beautiful creature._

"Come on, dog! Lick me!" Jack flopped out his own erection and Ianto whimpered as he pretended to sob.

With little noises of disgust, Ianto tentatively poked out his tongue and licked at the mushroom tip, then leaned back with fake horror. Jack snarled and grabbed at his hair, forcing his penis into Ianto's mouth.

Ianto pretended to struggle and flail as he pushed Jack's loose fitting PJs down. Jack grunted and pushed Ianto back onto his penis with a snarl.

As Jack fucked Ianto's mouth, all pretence faded and Ianto grabbed his hips as he struggled to match the rhythm. A finger tickled at Jack's hole and Jack's knees buckled as the finger breached him so tenderly.

Lube was waiting within reach, of course, and soon Ianto had prepared Jack enough for a full breach. Fingers were replaced with that lovely erection that had teased him so, and Jack cried out with pleasure as Ianto pounded him into their bedroom carpet.

A knock at the door caused Ianto's hips to stutter and he giggled as Jack snarled with annoyance.

"Everything OK in there? Thought I heard something going on," came a voice through the door.

"Something _is_ going on so fuck off, Skidmark!" Ianto roared as Jack snorted with humour at his husband's irritation.

Ianto kissed Jack hungrily and they fell back into each other.

As Ianto reached completion and cried out, Jack looked up with adoration at his husband. With a bark of surprise, Jack found himself in the midst of his own orgasm, and both men lay gasping in the afterglow as Jack hugged his husband tightly.

"God, does that ever get old for you?" Jack asked softly as Ianto's breathing evened out.

"No, cariad. Never," Ianto assured him as he snuggled into his husband's arms.


	38. Chapter 38

Chap 38.

Saturday afternoon and Jack had to go into town for a meeting with a client, leaving Ianto with the house to himself. Well, himself and Walter. And two of Idris's men. But since the two men kept to themselves, Ianto had begun pretending they weren't there, apart from at food time. Ianto had been raised proper and each meal time was now an event.

This had led to more of Idris's men volunteering to help once word got around that he fed them. Ianto was amused to see some faces he hadn't seen for years.

They had enjoyed a good lunch, Idris's men talking in the garden while enjoying a cigarette which Ianto pretended he couldn't see. No smoking was a rule but Ianto didn't begrudge them a small slip now and then. After all, it was outside.

It had been over a week since the incident, and Ianto was hopeful that nothing was going to happen. He felt a bit silly really, still so weak. Ianto hated the thought that Walter might see him that way too, but Jack had reassured him that this was his decision and not Ianto's. Jack felt unsafe? Ianto tried to swallow that one without a snort of derision.

Ianto had prepared a meal for everyone and enjoyed the simple pleasure of cooking. Watching those two men assigned to the house put the food away as Walter primly nibbled at his own selection had cheered Ianto no end.

Ianto had cleared away the food remains and dishes when he turned to ask Walter for his glass. The chair was pushed back and Walter was nowhere to be seen.

"Wally?" Ianto called, walking to the doorway between the kitchen and the main room.

"Here Taddy," a voice called out, and Ianto looked up as Walter confidently walked out onto the chandelier beam.

"Walter, get down!" Ianto yelled as he ran for the stairs.

"It's OK Taddy, Stroker is up here. Silly billy might fall," Walter said as he headed for the kitten they had kept from Janet's litter.

The small cat was lodged against the chandelier chain, and as Walter reached for it, the cat spat at him and made a run for it. Walter yelled and dove at the cat.

Ianto had made it to the mezzanine level in time to see Walter grab for the cat, and without a second thought Ianto leapt up to the balustrade and jumped.

As Walter fell, Ianto reached him, tucking his baby into his chest as he turned them both in the air. Ianto knew this was going to hurt and he sent a silent apology to his lover as the ground came up far too fast. Walter's scream was echoed by the loud crunch of the coffee table breaking under Ianto's back on impact.

The small cat stopped at the bottom of the stairs to look at the two humans who lay still and silent in the wreckage then, with a flick of its tail, galloped off on a new adventure.


	39. Chapter 39

OH WOW! So many telling me off for that cliffie ... hahahaha, so I'm breaking with tradition here and giving you two in one day, don't know if it helps tho.

Chap 39

Jack was talking on the Bluetooth as he swung the wheel. As he turned into his street he noted the large number of vehicles, then he registered the flashing lights of the ambulance.

He was running. Pushing through people and calling Ianto's name. He flew into the main room and found his worst nightmare laid out in front of him.

Ianto lay in a pool of blood amongst the remains of one of their coffee tables. Walter was on a gurney as they struggled to place a drip in the arm of the injured child.

Jack stumbled to his knees and Idris turned to see him fall.

"He's alive," Idris assured Jack, helping him to his feet. "He's alive."

.

.

.

Walter's arm was broken just above the elbow and he was in agony. Jack was alternating between holding the good hand and leaning over to see them working on Ianto.

Ianto convulsed and a shout rent the air as he began to choke on his own vomit. A backboard was already under him, and with several mean holding him hard against the board, they tipped him to the side as he vomited again.

All that food, that lovely lunch was now a burden they didn't need as each spasm could be damaging an already injured back. Not to mention the aspirating.

Walter began to relax as pain meds were given through the IV that was now firmly in place, and Tosh gently pushed Jack to one side to take his place with Walter. Jack now approached the team working on Ianto, who was showing early signs of regaining consciousness.

He was making a shrill keening noise with each breath, and Jack listened to the paramedics as they discussed the possibility of a punctured lung from the broken ribs they suspected Ianto had suffered in the fall.

"Unbelievable. Fell from that height and still strong enough to fight us," one said with a shake of his head. "Poor bastard. Must be in agony."

"Can you give him something?" Jack asked, and they turned to look at him with open surprise.

"Sorry sir, we can't until we know the extent of his head injuries. You are?" one with a clipboard asked politely.

"Jack Harkness-Jones. His husband." Jack knelt at their level and reached for Ianto as he let loose another burst of noise.

"It's OK Tiger. It's OK. Walter has been taken care of. He's going to be fine," Jack soothed, and the keening lessened as Jack felt Ianto squeeze his hand with all his might.

"He's squeezing," Jack said. The paramedics nodded.

"Good. Good sign that he's responding," one said as he patted Jack's shoulder.

"OK, time to lift. Ianto? Can you hear me? This is going to hurt, I'm sorry for this," the other paramedic said as he nodded to his team to begin the lift of the gurney.

Just then, Owen pushed into the room and swore as he looked over the mess. He headed to Jack and Ianto but Jack pointed at Walter. With a fresh mouthful of nasty, Owen changed course and went to Walter, who was sobbing into Tosh's chest as they applied an air splint.

"Hey bug, cool. A balloon around your arm, huh?" Owen said, and Walter snuffled as he turned to look at Owen.

Ianto's cry of pain was distorted by the oxygen mask as they lifted the gurney then locked the gear, and Walter began to cry again.

"It's OK mate, they're taking care of Taddy. You are being really brave and once it's up all the way it will hurt a lot less. Promise." Owen patted Walter's leg and ran a professional eye over the boy's near naked body.

They had cut away his clothes and he now sat in his little Spiderman undies. He had wet himself and Owen surmised that it had been fear, not pain that had caused the accident that had his little undies clinging to him.

Owen took Tosh's place with Walter and told her quietly to go and get him fresh undies and PJ bottoms. Once she left, he softly ran his hands over the boy as he checked him again. _A broken arm. God, from that height and just his arm?_


	40. Chapter 40

Chap 40

Walter had been sedated as they set and cast the arm, leaving Jack to seek news of Ianto's condition.

Rhia was sitting with Gray in the family waiting room with her fathers as they waited for news. The room was easy to find as Idris stalked up and down the hallway while Martha implored him to go in and stop pacing.

Jack slipped into the room and was immediately engulfed by Eugene. Jack allowed himself a few moments of weakness as he hitched a sob into the lovely man's hair before pulling back with an exhale.

"Walter?" James asked softly from beside his daughter, and Jack took a step back to regard Ianto's serious father.

"Asleep. Toshi is staying with him along with Skidmark. Walter will probably sleep through until the morning as they will keep topping him up via his IV." Jack took a breath and looked at Eugene, who had reached out and snagged his hand.

"I don't want him aware of what happened until we know for sure that …" Jack faltered and felt a soft squeeze.

"Ianto … they should have news soon," he finished, taking a seat and finding his lap full of Eugene.

"Gennie, get off the poor boy!" James growled, and his husband sighed theatrically as he extracted himself from Jack, but it had done its job, getting a soft smile from Jack.

For the first time Jack saw how similar he was to this man. Once, he had asked Ianto why he put up with his mad theatrics, and Ianto had just shrugged. Now Jack watched Eugene as he flounced around his husband to lighten his mood, and saw himself.

It was nearly another hour before Owen entered the room, having been allowed to observe the surgery.

"He's holding his own," Owen stated as he came into the room with his hands out.

Jack relaxed back into the seat and Owen sat beside him as Idris slid into the room to listen.

"Two ribs had punctured his right lung. Seems he had landed at an angle, his right side hitting first. His hip is badly bruised … yeah. That poor hip again. Anyway, four broken ribs in all. Punctured lung and no skull fracture, just a pretty bad concussion. Five stitches to the back of his head. No internal bleeding detected but we can't really test his motor responses. The problem here will be the swelling, they're monitoring and so far they haven't seen a need to intervene, but we may need to make a decision if the swelling gets any worse.

"My worry is his back. He's badly bruised and it's hard to tell how much impact his spine took; they'll do scans once he's in recovery and we'll know more. Jack." Owen reached out for Jack and swallowed nervously. "He may have impaired movement."

"Swelling? From the bruising?" Jack asked quietly, and Owen nodded.

"Yeah, hopefully. Worst case scenario is spinal damage. Jack, no sugar coating for this one. Ianto may need a lot of care and-" Owen was cut off as Jack growled.

"Ianto will get around the clock care. I will never leave his side again. God, I'll piss in a bottle by the bed if I have to so he knows I'm there for him," Jack snarled as he rose to pace.

Owen left to find out when Jack could go in, and Jack crumpled back into the chair he had just vacated.

Gray left Rhia and moved to his brother. "Mum is with the kids, doing her praying thing. I'll ring Dad to let them know how things are. You want me to say or not say anything?"

"No." Jack rubbed his eyes and struggled to maintain a train of thought. "Tell them what we just heard. I know Mum is quite fond of Walt."

"Hey! Ianto made an impression too, ya know. She was in bloody tears when I told them," Gray corrected Jack, who gaped.

"You kidding? She's always so strained around him," Jack snorted

"Are you kidding? She's dying to make a fuss but he's so … Welsh," Gray said lamely, and Jack gave a hollow laugh.

"Yeah. He is certainly that."

Owen re-entered the room and nodded to Jack, who rushed to follow him down the hallway to the recovery room.

Ianto was so pale and still that Jack looked to the silent monitors for reassurance that he was still alive. The heart monitor still registered his heart rate and blood pressure so Jack relaxed and approached the bed.

Ianto's face was clear except for a cannula supplying oxygen to his nose and a bruise that had bloomed on his jaw.

"Walt's head. Has a good egg on his forehead," Owen said softly as Jack stroked the bruise with his thumb.

"What were you two doing up there, sweetheart?" Jack asked, and he leaned over to kiss Ianto's forehead.

They found the answer to that question later that evening as Tosh hooked into the CCTV footage from the house and they watched in the family room of the hospital, crowded around Tosh and her laptop as Walter chased the cat across the beam and Ianto's heroic leap of faith.

Jack left the room, headed for Ianto, and cried for his superman as he felt James's warm embrace.


	41. Chapter 41

Chap 41

The days seemed like weeks. Three days and Jack hadn't left Ianto's side except to let him go to the loo. They were begging him to go down to the cafeteria but he refused. The staff had finally relaxed the rules and let him have sandwiches and drink by the bed.

When they brought the other bed into the room so he could sleep in something other than the chair, he wept with fatigue. This morning, Walter had been allowed in to see his parents. So small, so delicate in the wheelchair.

Jack had carefully gathered him into his lap and held him as he wept at the sight of his Taddy so still and frail.

"My brave baby boy." Jack kissed Walter and complimented his PJs.

"Uncle Owen got them for me. Said Taddy must be Superman, the way he flew to save me, and that makes me Spiderman for falling with style." Walter sniffed.

Jack laughed softly. _Trust Owen to say it like that._

"Taddy needs some too. He will hate waking up in this dress," Jack whispered, and Walter gave a watery smile.

"I'm sorry Daddy. It was my fault." Walter's face crumbled and Jack hugged him a little tighter.

"No, baby. It was an accident. When Taddy wakes up he'll tell you the same." Jack kissed him on the head as he snuggled in. "I love you, baby."

"I love you too, Daddy," Walter mumbled.

They sat and held Ianto's hand as the monitors silently recorded his stats.

.

.

.

Two more days and Jack was snoozing by the bed as the sun filtered through the window. He had woken early, from a noise or a dream, he couldn't remember. He had slipped from the bed to sit by Ianto's and slipped off to sleep again with his head resting on the bed by Ianto's hand.

He woke to the sensation of fingers stroking his forehead. With a moan, Jack opened his eyes to look at Ianto, who was blearily looking back as his fingers moved to touch him again.

"Ianto!" Jack barked as he flew to his feet and reached for the face that still wore a faint bruise.

Ianto tried to speak and grimaced, reaching his hand for Jack's. Jack seized it and squeezed as he smiled through his tears.

"It's OK baby. It's OK. Walter is fine, and you will be too," Jack soothed his husband as Ianto struggled feebly.

Ianto stilled and looked at Jack, his fear still visible. Jack punched the call button on the bed and leaned in, kissing Ianto softly.

A nurse bustled in and exclaimed when she saw Ianto awake. She rushed off and Jack winked at Ianto. "She doesn't wear it as well as you, hon."

Ianto managed a weak snort as she re-entered with a cup.

"Ice chips. Let them melt on his lips and tongue. They will help with the sore throat." She smiled and Jack offered one to Ianto, who closed his eyes with open delight.

Owen slammed into the room and began to fluff like an old woman. Ianto rolled his eyes, then tried to speak again. "Jack."

"Hey," Jack cried as he heard those vowels he loved so much.

"Jack, I can't feel my legs."


	42. Chapter 42

Chap 42

Owen had calmed the situation by examining him then explaining it was suspected swelling to blame and the scans had shown no serious damage. When Owen said he couldn't give a timeframe because every case is different, Jack changed the subject.

Walter's first report card was produced and Ianto proudly read his son's little achievements. As Jack read aloud the teacher's glowing comments, Ianto drifted back to sleep.

"Tell me the truth, Owen. How long before he's back on his feet?" Jack asked as he watched the nurses carefully turning Ianto in his sleep.

"Look, shit." Owen sighed and rubbed his face. "I had hoped for a little feeling in his legs even if he couldn't move them. This doesn't mean anything, Jack. Every case is different. I wasn't blowing smoke up his broken arse ya know."

"I know Owen, it's just the way he was so scared. God, I hate seeing him so defenceless." Jack sighed and leaned back against the wall.

"Give it time. That's all we can do now," Owen assured him, and Jack nodded.

The next morning, Ianto woke to find Walter intently examining his face. Ianto smiled as Walter's eyes grew large and a smile covered his face. The soft kiss to Ianto's cheek almost broke him.

"Hello, devil child of mine," Ianto deadpanned, and Walter snorted.

"Tadda? Stop lying about!" Walter shot back, and Ianto laughed for the first time.

Jack sighed with relief as the sun came out in the room.

"A cast? Really? Who signed it?" Ianto was pretending to be impressed by Walter's cast but Jack caught the flash of horror at the realisation that Walter had been hurt.

Once Walter had been conned from the room by Gray, Ianto rounded on Jack, his fists clasping at the sheets as he snarled his rage. "You said he was OK!"

"He is. He's going to heal, he's not in pain with it. He's fine hon," Jack soothed as he rubbed Ianto's shoulder.

"Some father I am. One job, just one bloody job, and I nearly loose it all!" Ianto growled, and Jack couldn't hide his surprise.

"Really? What am I? Chopped liver?" Jack demanded, and Ianto became still in the bed as he stared at him.

"What about you? Look at me, Jack. I'm a fucking cripple that couldn't even do one simple thing. My life is in tatters, I'm stuck here while he …" Ianto stopped talking and found a spot on the ceiling to focus on.

"I'll tell you what. I'll come back later when your little pity fest is over, yeah?" Jack snarled as he stormed from the room, incredibly hurt that Ianto hadn't included him in his equations.

Ianto let a sob escape as he struggled to move. The despair was like a heavy wet blanket, trapping him to the bed, and he roared his rage at the ceiling.

Jack returned that evening ready to apologise for his outburst and carrying some takeaway as a treat. Ianto hated hospital food and Jack knew this would buy him back a smile. He hummed as he wandered into the room, and froze.

Ianto lay in restraints with Owen talking softly to him. When Owen turned and saw Jack, he quickly pushed him back out of the room.

"What the fuck is happening?" Jack demanded as Owen paced in front of him.

"I don't know what happened with Walter's visit but after you both left he had a bit of a setback. We had to sedate him and the restraints are for his own good. Jack, I know him as well as you do. He's going to hurt himself if he can't calm down. He needs to stay still and be patient but the tantrum had him throwing himself about like a bloody three year old," Owen hissed with narrowed eyes.

"I don't know what was said or done, or not done, but you need to fucking re-evaluate your bloody bedside manner if you are going to help him," Owen said as he stabbed his finger into Jack's chest. "Ianto is not going back to that dark place he was wallowing in when he wanted to go into care when he was sick. Do you hear me?"

"Owen, God. I fucked up. I thought he needed a kick start, I didn't think he was this fragile," Jack retorted, and Owen shook his head.

"Jesus, Jack! This is Ianto. He's always worse than he lets on. That's his standard MO. Haven't you worked that out yet, ya twat?" Owen snorted, and Jack shrugged with his arms wide.

"Obviously not. Colour me stupid!" Jack despaired.

This was going to be harder that he thought. The takeaway cooled in his hand as he waited for a chance to see Ianto again.


	43. Chapter 43

Chap 43

Owen convinced Jack to go home and return the next morning. Owen was right, they all needed some sleep. Jack had been burning the candle at both ends, and a night spent cuddling in bed with Walter gave him new purpose.

Walter had been wetting the bed some nights since the fall, his nightmares waking Jack as Walter screamed for his Tadda. Jack sleepily pulled off the soiled PJs and undies, then cleaned his little man's legs and bum. Then freshly laundered PJs were applied and both of them crawled into the big bed. Jack would deal with Walter's mess tomorrow morning. As Walter sobbed into his chest until he was asleep, Jack glowered into the darkness.

Jack knew he was right. Ianto needed a good kick up the arse. He was going to shake the shit out of him if he had to, if that's what it took to bring him back. Owen thought he knew him? No. Owen didn't know Ianto's thought process at all.

The next morning, Jack strode into the room with his head held high. He approached the bed and looked down at Ianto, who was watching him nervously.

"Tantrum over? Or do I need to re-schedule?" Jack asked, and Ianto's eyes narrowed.

"Because while you're in here feeling sorry for yourself our son is crying for you in the night when he wets the bed and you aren't there. Too busy lying here giving up!" Jack continued, and Ianto took a deep breath to speak.

"No! I'll be talking now. What are you going to do? Leave? Go on then. Get up." Jack knew he was being callous but he needed to make the point to Ianto in the only way that would make an impact.

"Walter blames himself for this. No matter what we do or say, he is punishing himself. He won't eat and can't sleep. He won't acknowledge the cat. We might have to rehome it because Walter blames that stupid animal as well. Is that what you want? Your son to give up?" Jack demanded. "After all, Taddy does!"

"Stop it," Ianto said softly, and Jack stepped closer, slamming his hand down on Ianto's leg.

"Stop what!" Jack roared, and Ianto gasped.

"Jack! Do that again!" Ianto yelled, struggling against the restraints. "God, hit me again!"

"Is that what you want?" Jack reared back with a huff. "You want me to slap you about a bit?"

"No you bloody fool, I think I felt it. Hit my leg again," Ianto pleaded, and Jack slapped his hand down again.

Jack watched as Ianto laughed, tears streaming down his face. Jack struggled to push the call button as he slapped at the other leg and got the same result.

When the nurse entered, both men were crying and laughing as Jack tickled an exposed foot, making it scrunch up in an effort to escape.

She turned and ran to fetch the doctor as Ianto's road to recovery began.


	44. Chapter 44

Chap 44

Ianto was coming home. It had been just over a month since the fall and he was considered well enough to sign out.

Walter had spent the day decorating and was eagerly awaiting the sound of the SUV. He checked the food laid out on the new coffee table for the third time as Tosh watched from a nearby chair.

Rhia sat rubbing her growing stomach as Gray fussed between her and the kitchen. The sound of Black Beauty's motor had Walter cheering as he ran for the door.

The ramps Gray and John had built were stained to match the rafters and Jack had commented that Ianto would love the irony as the two men silently kicked themselves for their stupidity.

Walter pulled open the door as John carried the chair in. Ianto had fallen asleep and Jack insisted on carrying him in. Ianto stirred as the cold air hit, and by the time Jack was inside, Ianto was looking around blearily from his husband's arms.

Jack placed him in the chair and Walter stepped up with a blanket. As he fussed over his Tadda, Ianto's eyes flickered over the ramps littering the two levelled bottom floor. Jack had warned him of their over exuberant work and Ianto had thought he was prepared, but the sight of those thing on his lovely floor filled him with dread.

Jack pushed him over to the chairs and he reached eagerly for his sister.

"Hey little Teddy Bear." Rhia smiled as Ianto touched her belly with a soft coo.

"Do you like my decorations, Tadda?" Walter asked nervously, and Ianto looked up.

"My goodness, yes. All my favourite things. Balloons, streamers, fairy lights, and even a banner with my name on it," Ianto gasped with wide eyes as he read the "Welcum Home Taddy" banner.

"I made that all by myself. Uncle Owen hanged it for me." Walter preened as Ianto clapped.

"Hung, sweetheart," Jack corrected, and Owen puffed up from the sofa.

"Well hung, thank you!" Owen declared, and Ianto laughed, a full-throated boom that Jack loved.

"OK, well the deal was rest and repair so I'm taking my husband to bed now," Jack informed everyone, and laughter followed them from the room as Ianto blushed deeply.

"I didn't mean it like that," Jack groused, and Ianto shook his head.

"One thing I have missed is the feeling of you against me," Ianto murmured as Jack stopped the wheelchair by the bed.

Jack tenderly lifted his love into the bed; Rhia appeared from the other room with a pillow.

"When he was little he had a special pillow. Mammy made it for him," Rhia explained. "Whenever he was sick she made another one, and I know I'm not as good as Mammy but I made you one anyway."

"It smells?" Jack caught a whiff of something as it was plumped on the bed.

"Lavender. It has lavender in the middle to help him sleep. That's why he needs it replaced now and then." Rhia smiled as Ianto sighed into the soft pillow and inhaled the lavender scent.

"There you are, little teddy bear," she soothed as he started to snuffle.

"Your fathers call him that," Jack mused.

"Well, he is so cuddly and cute, "Rhia laughed. Jack agreed completely.


	45. Chapter 45

Chap 45

The house was quiet and everyone was asleep … except for Ianto.

He was aching and needed to pee something fierce. Since getting his catheter out, Ianto had been having a few problems with urinating and due to a mild infection he needed to pee more often. With a soft groan, he reached for Jack.

"Baby? Wet bed, baby boy?" Jack groaned sleepily, thinking it was Water.

"Not yet but if you don't get me to the loo I might," Ianto giggled, and Jack shot out of bed with a soft curse.

"Sorry hon, Walter wakes me the same way," Jack apologised.

Jack was carrying Ianto back to bed when Walter's wail rent the air. With another curse, Jack dumped Ianto on the bed and ran for their son.

Tosh leaned over the balcony and called down to ask if help was needed, but Jack said no and kept moving. A wet and sorry Walter was standing by his bed crying as he pulled his PJs off and Jack carried him to the bathroom. Once he had sorted his boy, Jack carried him into the master bedroom. Ianto had got himself back into bed properly and had left room for Walter between them.

"Shit! Sorry Ianto, I should have made sure …" Jack was silenced by a shake of Ianto's head as he reached for Walter.

Walter clambered into the bed and snuggled into his Taddy's arms as Ianto soothingly rubbed his back.

Jack climbed in on his own side and shuffled into his baby's back, reaching across for Ianto.

Finally, Ianto slept. Walter wound up snuggled into the pillow with him, and Jack lay propped on one elbow the next morning taking photos with his phone before texting them to Rhia with a request for a pillow for Walter.

Walter woke next, kissing Ianto softly before sliding back into Jack's cuddle. He then climbed out and toddled off to the loo as Jack got dressed. By the time Ianto started to stir, Jack was already laying out Ianto's clothes for the day.

Wheeling Ianto into the kitchen, Jack saw Walter was tucking into pancakes as Tosh pulled a chair away from the table to make a space for Ianto's wheelchair.

"How ya feeling, Superman?" Owen snarked from the sink.

"Wonderful," Ianto enthused as a plate was placed in front of him.

Ianto made a noise of delight to match Jack's as they settled into their breakfast. Ianto had missed real food so much and Tosh was going to spoil him if she could get away with it.

John came flying into the house in full screaming mode about a client, and Ianto sat back in his chair as he watched his crazy family. An itch was nagging and he turned to ask Jack to ask him to scratch it but hesitated as Jack and John laughed at something.

Jack and John were so close that they were touching from shoulder to hip as they talked. John kept reaching out and touching Jack's arm and instead of stepping back, Jack seemed to encourage him.

Ianto told himself that he was being silly, that this was old news.

Later that morning, Gwen and Andy stopped by to welcome him home and once again he felt the green-eyed monster rear its ugly head as Gwen hugged Jack and whispered in his ear. What was this?

Ianto was confused by these feelings and silly thoughts so he asked Jack when their next counselling session was. Jack misunderstood the reasoning for the need to talk and became defensive.

"Ianto, I know it's hard but you can do this," Jack soothed. Ianto rolled his eyes.

"No. I'm having … god I hate this. I'm jealous of others touching you. So much hugging and touching and I know it's silly." Ianto sighed, and Jack gaped.

"Wait. You mean John? Or is it Gwen again? We went through this!" Jack growled, and Ianto sighed.

"See? Told you I'm silly."


	46. Chapter 46

Chap 46

"Oh babe. You are not silly!" Jack sighed.

"I know you are faithful to me Jack. I'm just thinking too much. Too much time on my hands and no project to take my mind off it." Ianto rubbed his leg and the itch returned full force.

Jack noticed the leg rubbing. "Ianto, you ok?"

"Yeah." Ianto absently leaned over and scratched at the itch but it was persistent.

With a growl, Ianto lifted the leg to reach better, and Jack tried not to make any noise or sudden movement as his husband lifted his leg independently.

As Ianto lowered his leg it dawned on him what had just happened, and he turned to Jack with a beaming grin.

Jack slid from the seat and started to kiss Ianto.

"That's it Superman, shake off that kryptonite," Jack murmured as he peppered Ianto's face with kisses.

.

.

.

Later that day, John returned with some spy gadgets they had ordered, and the two men sat at the coffee table in the main room putting the gadget's batteries in and playing with them. Ianto had been snoozing in the sun as it came in through the French doors, and he had a sudden need for the loo again.

With a huff he tried to turn the chair, only to find the brake on. He leaned over to unlock the brake but to his immense annoyance, Jack had clicked the safety brake at the back instead of the wheel brake that Ianto could deploy himself.

With a soft curse, Ianto tried to reach behind him for the handle that unlocked the safety feature that was a right royal pain in the arse. Why he couldn't have a standard wheelchair he'd never know. _Just because those geeks are into gadgets it doesn't … stop it!_

Ianto took a deep breath and told himself to get a bloody grip. He was not a child and he was not too proud to ask his husband for help when Jack was always telling him off for being too independent.

Ianto looked over at the men and opened his mouth, but nothing came out. John was sitting so close that their hips were rubbing together, and as John reached for a component his other hand rested on Jack's thigh.

Ianto looked out the window and took deep breaths as he chastised himself. Then he turned to speak again and once more he froze at the sight. Jack had his hand down John's t-shirt as he placed the wire and John was giggling as his hand slid around Jack's hips. As Jack leaned in to look down the front of the t-shirt, John leaned forward and kissed his nose.

Jack snorted and told him to stop being a grabby arse as he leaned in further. John took a deep sniff of Jack's hair and slid a hand to his butt.

"Uncle Johnny! Stop touching Daddy where Tadda does!" Walter shouted from the doorway, anger splashed across his little face.

Jack froze and turned, looking at the hand, and then looked back at John with open surprise. "What are you doing?"

"Walter, come here baby," Ianto called out, and Walter stomped over with his hands on his hips.

"Uncle John touched Daddy's butt. You said it was bad for a strange man to touch your butt, Taddy!" Walter was not going to let it rest, and Ianto sighed.

"Yes hon, Uncle John is bloody strange but right now I need a little help and your Daddy pressed the wrong button. Please hep Taddy to the loo will you?" Ianto quietly asked, and Walter looked at the buttons on the handle.

"Green one, right?" Walter asked.

The scene on the sofa distracted Ianto. Jack had slowly slid out of John's grasp and was sitting there staring at John with wide eyes. Then Jack reared back and slapped John across the face. Hard.

"Fuck!" John spat as he rubbed his face.

"Cariad?" Ianto asked in a polite tone, and Jack turned to gape at him. "Walter is here."

Jack nodded and turned to John, then hit him again. "Don't use that word in front of my son!"

"Thank you cariad. Now, I really do need the loo here." Ianto was desperate, and Jack leapt to help.

John was sitting, rubbing his face, and Walter walked over to glare at him. "I'm glad Daddy hit you. Taddy feels bad when you touch Daddy all the time. They have fights and it's your fault."

"Walter!" Ianto barked, horrified that their laundry was being aired.

"Really? You fight because of me?" John gasped.

"Not anymore," Jack said firmly as he turned the chair and rolled Ianto to the bathroom.

As Jack helped Ianto onto the toilet, Ianto took the opportunity to pinch Jack's butt.

"Mine!" Ianto said in a serious tone, his hand over Jack's crotch.

"Till the last star burns out, baby." Jack smiled as he kissed his love.

/

/

/

A dear reader has had a trying day and asked for me to be kind and post two chaps, to show I care I've broken with tradition and posted three. Hope these help my coffee king.


	47. Chapter 47

Chap 47

It had been ten weeks since the fall, eleven since they last made love, and Ianto was getting antsy.

The whole Jack/John thing had ratchetted up his jealousy issues and he had hoped that a counselling session would help. Only problem with that was that Jack didn't show. A text message saying he was held up at court with a case he and John had consulted on meant Ianto had a solo session. Again. Third one in a row since Torchwood 3 had taken off. Business was good, shame their relationship wasn't.

Ianto shifted in the chair as the counsellor pulled on his beard and smiled weakly at the poor Welshman. Although he wasn't big on giving advice when both weren't there to hear it, he did feel the need to help this couple. After watching the young man wilt, he was inspired to tell him that maybe waiting for Jack to make a move was the wrong way to go. Perhaps being the one to make the move and bite the bullet, so to speak, would show Jack how ready he was to resume their sexual relationship.

Ianto had left the session feeling empowered and hatched a plan on the way home. Tosh and Owen dropped him off and headed to Tosh's apartment. It was finally finished and they were due to move back in that weekend. Yep. Together _. No housemates. Tick._

Ianto had the place to himself since Walter was staying at Rhia and Gray's for the night as a reward for a dry bed for the fourth night in a row. _No cock-block in the bed. Tick_.

Ianto wheeled through the house touching, primping, and re-adjusting until he felt the calm descend that was indicative of his home. He then went to the walk-in wardrobe and wheeled to the back, reaching behind his suits to remove a box he had secreted away back there when they first moved in.

It took over an hour of effort to get ready, but by the time he was done, Ianto was sure Jack was going to need mouth to mouth for the sudden blood loss from his brain at the sight of his wanton husband. Ianto settled back in the chair to wait. _Tick and fucking tick!_

Ianto woke with a start as he heard the scrape of a key in the lock. He glanced at the clock by the door and was shocked to see it was nearly ten at night. Ianto was relieved that he had pulled a robe over himself when he felt the cold creeping in with the night air. Then he heard John's voice as well.

 _Nearly made a fool of myself there._ Ianto pulled his robe tighter and wheeled to the door with a polite smile. After a few minutes he grew impatient and reached for the door, swinging it open.

John had Jack braced against the doorframe as he proceeded to examine his tonsils with his tongue. Ianto opened his mouth, then closed it again. He spied the handle of his hockey stick peeking out of the umbrella rack and he reached for it. Unable to get it from that angle in his chair, he strained, then huffed. He shuffled to the edge of the chair and tried again.

Jack's groan as John's hands crept around his arse was all the motivation Ianto needed to surge forward and grasp the handle, levering himself up with the other hand.

Standing unsteadily in the doorway, Ianto swung.

The crack of wood hitting skull was loud in the still night air and John fell against Jack with a cry of pain. Ianto let go of the doorframe and adjusted his stance, swinging lower to catch John's butt.

John slammed into Jack, who gave a surprised shout and turned to see his husband standing there, about to swing for a third strike at John's shoulders.

"Ianto! Fuck, you're standing up!" Jack slurred as he pushed John away.

Jack stumbled forward, his drunken reflexes a little too slow and Ianto's a little too fast.

With the robe on the ground and Ianto in full view, all John could do from the ground where he had fallen was gape.

Ianto had stepped straight out of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The corset was tight and the fishnets sheer against alabaster skin. The bright red lipstick was shocking in its snarl as Ianto connected with Jack's gut.

"You fucking son of a whore!" Ianto screamed, swaying as he lost his balance with the follow through.

Jack caught him as he fell, pulling him into a tight hug. Jack kissed him passionately and rubbed his hard on against the silk knickers. Ianto snarled and pushed off, falling back against the doorframe, levering himself around and finally settling back into the chair.

"Yeah, I can stand. Sur-fucking-prise!" Ianto crowed. "Even put a fucking bow on it for ya. No wonder you don't want to touch me anymore. Well, this is me. Ianto Harkness-Jones standing up. Fuck off!"

The hockey stick still in his hand was a good hook to pull the door shut on the two startled men who stared open mouthed as Frankfurter Harkness-Jones slammed the door, then engaged the locks.


	48. Chapter 48

Chap 48

Into was angry. Not, tear your clothes apart angry or even set fire to your favourite chair angry. This was a supernova in full blast. He was pissed!

All this time he had second guessed himself, judged himself and that fucker… that bastard … Ianto ground his teeth as he stared at the door he had just slammed.

With screams of rage he struck the door with the hockey stick. He struck again and again. The shocks to his arms felt good. The gut wrenching roars felt good too. When he hit it so hard that the head of the stick splintered it felt fucking brilliant.

Ianto threw the handle down and braced himself on the armrests of the chair as he gave a primal roar of pain, then he began to laugh.

 _Stupid boy. Think anyone will ever love you? You think you will ever be enough to keep someone happy when your own mother couldn't bear to stay for you?_ His father's mocking laughter joined his own in his head as the drunken barbs he had suffered at the hands of his abusive drunk of a father boomed in his head.

Wheeling back into the bedroom, he began to struggle with the straps for the corset. He continued to contort for several minutes before the tears arrived to spoil all the fun. Ianto howled as he struck out at himself and the chair and threw anything within reach into the general emptiness of the room.

Jack had scaled the back fence and reached the back doors. He could hear the howls and smashing from the bedroom. With a growl of frustration, Jack picked up one of the deck chairs and threw it through the French doors.

Ianto heard the commotion from the main room and rolled through the bedroom door to watch Jack falling through the hole and hitting the glass-covered floor. Struggling to his hands and knees, Jack still moved towards Ianto with tears falling.

"Please Ianto, please forgive me. I'm drunk, please," Jack sobbed as he clambered at Ianto's feet.

"I should beat the living tar out of you, you fucking prick," Ianto snarled, wheeling back from Jack. "Walter is away for the night, sleep in there. I don't want you near me. All I wanted was for you to touch me and now?"

Ianto leaned in and wrinkled his nose at the smell of bourbon. "I don't want to touch _you_!"

Jack's mouth fell open as Ianto imperiously swivelled the chair and motored for the bedroom. The door slammed and Jack hiccupped then frowned. The silent alarm had ticked over and now the whole place erupted with sirens.

Jack staggered to the keypad and disabled the alarms, then fell into the chair to wait for the alarm company's call. Once he had assured them it was a false alarm and given the correct safe words, he dropped the phone back in its cradle and sank into the chair with a moan.

He wondered if Myfanwy had room in her doghouse for him because that's where he belonged.

John sat on the front steps holding his head in his hands as he listened to the destruction he had caused. What had he done?


	49. Chapter 49

Chap 49

Ianto woke to the nagging bladder that was the bane of his bloody existence.

"Jack," he said, rolling for his husband's help.

Finding the other side of the bed cold woke Ianto fully, and he sat up with a grunt of surprise. That was when the pain started. His arms were on fire and Ianto cried out as he fell back, shaking the cramping muscles out.

Jack was at the side of the bed within seconds, grabbing for the knotted limbs and rubbing vigorously at the tight arms. Ianto groaned as the burn settled into the joints, his door attack now coming back to bite him.

"Easy baby," Jack soothed as he yelled for Owen, forgetting they were alone.

Ianto remembered the previous night and he had enough strength to slap Jack across the face, then yelp at the fresh pain the jolt had caused.

"You bastard. Look what you've done to me!" Ianto panted.

Owen entered the room, Tosh not far behind. They had heard Jack's yell as they rounded the house for a load of clothes.

"Shit, what happened to the doors? The front is jammed and the back looks …" Owen saw Ianto's pain and jumped onto the bed, retrieving an arm so they could work one each.

Tosh slipped from the room to review the CCTV footage. Whatever had happened, she needed to know if Ianto was hurt.

Finally the cramping eased and Ianto's grunts tapered off to soft pants. Ianto opened his eyes and looked up at Owen, who was glaring across him at Jack.

"What was it? Restraints? I told you to be bloody gentle, fuck!" Owen spat at Jack. "Going like rabbits does not help here. I told you when you got those condoms to have soft sex only."

"When?" Ianto asked Owen. "When did he ask about sex?"

"What?" Owen looked down with surprise. "Last month when he came for some condoms and suppositories to prepare you."

"BASTARD, FUCKING …." Ianto lunged at Jack, who sat back with a look of pure misery.

"Did John enjoy them? Ribbed for extra pleasure?" Ianto screamed, swinging at Jack like a cat pawing at a mouse. "Suppositories? Did you shove them up his arse before your dick? Or was it another lie you told me that I was the only one who got to fuck you?"

"Ianto," Jack said quietly as he shook his head.

"Tell me, motherfucker! Does he beg like I do?" Ianto demanded. "Do you keep him on a kiss and a promise? Because if you do someone better tell him that you never keep those!"

"Ianto," Jack repeated, a tear rolling down his face. "I'm sorry. I never slept with John. I asked for you and I … it never seemed right. The timing with Water and ..."

"Don't you blame my boy, you fucker. Don't you blame him for my lack of sex appeal," Ianto screamed.

"OUT!" Tosh had entered as Ianto screamed, and grabbed Jack by the ear. Jack yelped as he was dragged from the room by an irate little dragon intent on giving her own measure of justice.

She had watched the CCTV footage with humour, shock, and then anger. Seeing Ianto tearing at himself was heartbreaking. She made Jack watch. As Jack sagged in the seat, she stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at him.

"Well?" she demanded with a nod of her head.

"What?" Jack looked up stupidly.

"Did you intend to sleep with him or not. He seems to think you've gone off him!" She pointed to the scene as Ianto tore the bedding off their bed on the small screen.

"I love him. God, I was scared of hurting him. Then Walter was wetting the bed and sleeping with us and … every time Ianto approached me I felt, well, scared. I'm scared of hurting him," Jack whined, and yelped as Tosh clipped him around the ear.

"What do you call this then?" she hissed.

/

/

/

 **My home town is starting to flood. You are getting three chaps today in case I can not post tomorrow,,,lucky things.**


	50. Chapter 50

Chap 50

Jack stumbled down the stairs from his office to the main room and the small bar. He shakily unlocked the doors. The keypad had been Ianto's idea, to keep the booze locked away from the kids so that Jack could have his corner bar under the stairs like he wanted. Now, all he wanted was the burn of alcohol.

Ianto sounded calm as he politely sent everyone back out of the room so he could shower and dress for the day. Although Jack had been helping him, he assured them he could do it himself. Silently he was saying that he might need to get used to it.

Jack watched them all filter through to the sofas, where they sat staring at each other with degrees of nervousness and anger. Oh yes, definitely anger issues in this family.

Jack didn't know when Gray had arrived but knew his confusion was feeding Owen's need to punish with his tongue and he was taking great delight in informing Gray of Jack's fall from grace. _Fuck, might as well have jumped from the top of the Millennium Centre or something._

Gray's face had shown surprise, disbelief, then… _Yep, there it is. Anger._ Jack sighed as Gray rose to have a go but then hesitated and frowned at the broken back doors. Jack leaned over on the bar stool to see what was possibly more annoying than him and saw John stepping gingerly through the broken framework with wide eyes as he gaped at the damage.

"Fuck! What happened? He did all this with a hockey stick?" John stuttered as he turned to look back at the orifice he had just come through.

 _Orifice. Yeah. Shit moves through an orifice!_ Jack thought bitterly as his pounding head punished him as well.

"No, we did this!" Jack declared, John spinning to find the owner of the bitter voice.

John swaggered over and picked up the bourbon bottle, taking a swig and gagging at the burn. Then he took another.

"Oh come on lover, ya missed me! Be honest, it was bound to come up sooner or later. Only eye-candy in there distracted you long…" John didn't finish the sentence because Jack had reared off the stool and swung.

The punch caught John on the chin and he staggered back with a grunt. Laughing, he surged forward and kissed Jack savagely, grinding their groins together as Jack snarled. Jack pushed him away, eyes flashing with danger. John had never been more turned on.

Ianto rolled out of the bedroom to reluctantly ask Owen for help reaching his clothes as John grabbed Jack's face and lip locked again. Owen had started towards the two men, but Gray snagged him against the sofa.

"Let them go, they need to get this sorted!" Gray told him, looking over Owen's shoulder at Ianto, who had employed the brake and was leaning back, watching the floor show.

Jack pushed away again, this time connecting his knee with John's stomach. John huffed with surprise as Jack followed through with a solid smack to the side of his head.

"You don't get it, do you? The man I was, the bastard you loved, is gone. Ianto changed me. He found me all screwed up in the gutter like the piece of garbage I had become and he plucked me out. He cleaned me up, polished me to shiny, smoothing away my wrinkles, my rough edges, and making me feel new again," Jack said as he placed a hand between them to stop another kiss.

"You kidding? Eye-candy might have brought out the homemaker in you but a leopard never changes its spots! This is me you're talking to, lover. Even now, you're hard against my thigh from the foreplay," John sneered, returning a punch that sent Jack back against the wall.

Glass shattered as the artwork exploded from the impact of Jack's head, and John danced away with a crow of delight. Jack pushed himself back at John with a snarl of rage. "I love Ianto, he's my fucking world!"

"Sure he is, that's why you had your finger up my arse in the taxi, babe." John leaned in and spat blood into Jack's face.


	51. Chapter 51

Chap 51

"I was drunk. You know what depth charges do to me and you kept bombing my beer every time I turned around!" Jack found his fingers round John's neck, and with a smile of pleasure, squeezed. "You are jealous. Jealous of Ianto for having me, and I know you're jealous of me because I've caught the way you ogle my Ianto."

The two men struggled like dancers in a modern dance piece, then they tripped over each other's feet and landed on the floor. They rolled as they fought. John punched Jack in the ribs; Jack released his grip to reach for John's balls, which he squeezed savagely. John yelped and bit at Jack's neck, and Jack elbowed John hard.

Jack and John kissed again, this time with less passion and more dominance, each rutting against the other as testosterone burned in their veins. They fought for the upper hand, moaning and growling as they pawed at each other.

"You're right. I am jealous. I saw you fucking him against the wall that night at the rehearsal dinner. In the coat room, your pants about your ankles, his legs around your waist and you filling him the way you used to fill me. I want him to make that little noise in the back of his throat for me! I want to see his eyes roll back for me! You always shared, you always remembered me. Why is he so fucking different that I can look but not touch, Jackie?" John whined from underneath the snarling bear hugging him. "He looked good enough to fucking eat!"

"Why? Look at him!" Jack demanded, and John looked over at the man slumped in the chair.

John felt the fight leave his body and he wilted. Ianto looked so small and frail as he wept quietly for the pain they were causing each other. John closed his eyes and thumped his head back against the floor. Jack released him and rolled onto his back so they were both looking up at the ceiling as they panted and grimaced with pain.

"I love him. More than I can ever explain, even to myself. He makes me …God, I don't know. Full. Ya know? Like an all you can eat buffet?" Jack struggled with words as John rubbed absently at his bruising ribs.

"So he's all that and a packet of crisps? Yeah, I get that!" John sniggered and Jack sighed as the tension left the room.

"Yeah. Not just a packet of crisps. Ianto's all that and the fucking crisp factory!" Jack snorted, and John looked over at Ianto again.

Ianto disengaged the brake and slowly wheeled his way over to the two men star-fishing on the floor. He came to a stop by John's head, and Jack winced as John squeaked with surprise.

"Are you two quite finished your little tantrum?" Ianto asked as he leaned over an armrest.

"Well, you got one!" Jack pouted, and Ianto leaned back as he erupted with laughter.

"Look. I get that you two have history. I get that my husband is a wanton whore when drunk, but I also get the simple fact that you knew this. Both of you knew this. Jack, you could have stopped drinking when you started feeling loose, and John?" Ianto glared at the one slowly trying to crawl away. "You knew he was mine. You think that I can't hurt you back?"

John rolled from his belly back over to look up at Ianto with open surprise.

"I'm a Hoodlum, baby boy. I could cut your fucking balls off and feed them to the dog. Still you thought you could touch what's mine?" Ianto questioned as if he were asking if John wanted a cuppa.

John's mouth opened and shut like a goldfish as he struggled to comprehend that he was being threatened by the cute Welshman.

"Do you remember that case about ten years back now? That guy found in the construction yard under the crane's tracks?" Ianto asked, and John nodded. He and Jack had been there; the memory of the horror scene made him grimace. How did Ianto know about that case?

"Well, he had crossed Idris big time. I remember the way you swaggered in only to throw up on the shoes of your partner there. I saw you. I remember the way you walk. I'll not say who gave the order, or who committed the act, but let's just say I do know how to operate heavy machinery." Ianto's face had changed and gone was the polite Welshman.

John felt the chill creep into his bones as the Hoodlum stared him down. "Disappear you? Nah. I'd string your bits up for everyone to see, I'd skin you alive with a fucking Stanley knife, me old mate."

"Ianto," Jack said softly in warning as he got to his knees.

"Gray? The man who ran down my brother. You saw what was left of him, didn't you?" Ianto swung to look over at the sofa containing the other Harkness man, Gray already white with shock.

"Yes. I did, what was left after …" Gray swallowed compulsively, "the damage done."

"He killed my brother. He took something from me," Ianto was quietly talking and every word was punctuated with his usual perfect grammar as he regarded John like a spider to be stepped on. "You are flying too close to the sun, my boy. Too fucking close to _my_ sun!"

"Gray? How did you know the driver?" Jack was on his feet now and advancing on his hapless brother who knew his days were numbered by the glint of rage in Jack's eyes.

"I was in the car. I was the passenger." Gray stood and began to back away from Jack with his hands in front of him. "It was an assignment. I couldn't blow my cover. When I was pulled out I reported it. I swear!"

"The one you got hauled over the coals for after I met Ianto? The cold case that nearly cost you your career?" Jack was almost to him, and Gray hit the wall with a dull thud.

Jack had reached him and his hand was reaching for his brother's throat when Ianto spoke. "He's telling the truth. We spoke. That's why I let him live. But we have an understanding, don't we Gray-boy."

"Yeah. Yeah, Toto I understand. If I ever cross you or your sister you'll kill me," Gray replied.

"Yes. I do believe that was the gist of the conversation, bitch." Ianto leaned back and smiled at Owen and Tosh, who were huddled on one of the sofas. "Coffee? I could murder a cup!"


	52. Chapter 52

Chap 52

Owen had started to snort. It turned to a giggle, and by the time he had reached the kitchen it was full blown laugher. Owen gripped the back of a chair as he heaved with mirth at what he had just witnessed.

Ianto rolled into the kitchen and reached for the coffee machine as Tosh shakily started getting some food organised.

"Stanley knife. Fuck, gotta remember that one," Owen spluttered though tears of humour. "Fuck. I'm hurting here."

"Well, sit down so your diaphragm isn't struggling like that," Ianto calmly ordered, and Owen's bum hit the seat as he took another deep breath.

Booming laughter filled the room as Owen leaned back to allow it an escape. Tosh had turned to admonish him but found her own laughter stopping the words from getting out. Ianto sighed, then snorted at himself.

"I was a bit over the top in there, wasn't I?" Ianto giggled, wiping his eyes as Owen nodded his agreement.

"Fuck, you're like something out of _Mad Max_ the way you almost ran him over," Owen chortled. "We could pimp out your wheels for ya, if ya like?"

"Yeah? I broke my stick so maybe a club would be nice," Ianto hiccupped, and Owen pretended to write on imaginary paper.

"Oh yes. And would sir like a new outfit to go with it? Shit-kicker boots? Leather pants?" Owen laughed and Tosh joined in.

"Maybe we could give you a mohawk and an earring. Still got that string vest?" she offered, and Ianto roared at the memory of the string vest.

Jack entered the room and stood watching the three friends howling with laughter. It was like he had just entered an alternate reality. "Ianto?"

"Look, Jack! Let's say we all learnt something today and drop it, yeah?" Ianto asked as Gray slid in behind his brother to see what the noise was.

"I'm sorry. John and I have issues and a lot of murky history. Even burning the bridge won't put it to rest because he's probably the one holding the match for me." Jack sank into a chair and hung his head.

"Jack, I'm not mad," Ianto said, then amended, "Well, I'm not mad anymore. I knew he was part of the deal when I first met you. I just don't share. Never did, never will. Not you. You're mine, so mine I want to fucking brand your arse!"

Jack snorted and looked back up at Ianto, hope in his heart. "I love you so much and still I'm the one who hurts you the most."

"Oh cariad. That's love. If I didn't love you it wouldn't hurt so badly. If you didn't love me you wouldn't have just hurt yourself so much by hurting one of the most important people in your life." Ianto smiled. "John is family. I will forgive him. I'll not forget!" Ianto warned with a wagging of his finger of doom.. "But I will forgive. I forgave Gray and I'll forgive him. You know I forgave you as soon as the red mist cleared from my vision, yeah?"

"Poor little hockey stick. Never did anything to anyone and such a sudden, brutal death," Jack sighed as Ianto held out his arms.

Jack fell into the embrace with a sob. He buried his face in Ianto's warmth, ashamed and grateful.

Ianto looked over at Gray and nodded, once. Gray nodded back and left the room. As he shakily sank into the nearest sofa he remembered his promise to Ianto. John sat drinking the bottle of bourbon with an occasional sniff of misery.

Gray closed his eyes and let his head fall back as images of that driver assaulted his memory. _Yep. Not crossing that one in there. Ever!_


	53. Chapter 53

Chap 53

Jack wanted to make it up to Ianto; he knew he needed to, even if Ianto protested that there was no need.

So much had happened in the last six months. This might be their last chance to use Gray as a babysitter before the baby wrapped him around her little finger.

Jack chose the movie and restaurant with care. He almost changed his mind about the restaurant three times before Owen told him to shut up about the bloody thing and just book it.

Ianto had suspected something was in the air but when Jack laid out his favourite suit Ianto felt butterflies. Walter waved them off with an eager grin as Gray stood with a protective hand on his little shoulder.

The restaurant was wonderful, and Ianto was touched that Jack had insisted they make it a normal table, not a handicapped one in the back. Jack drank only water and had even cut up Ianto's peppered steak with exaggerated care before feeding it to Ianto bite by bite. The candles were lit and the centrepiece had jasmine and white roses in it, different to the other table settings. Ianto was nearly half way through the meal before it hit him that Jack had arranged this as well.

Dessert was chocolate mousse, his favourite. Ianto had moaned with pleasure as it melted on his tongue. Jack had held his hand as he softly told him how much he loved him. The movie was flagged as Ianto felt a rush of love to his nether regions, and the comment to Jack that movies in bed are just as good was all it took for a leer and that slow undressing gaze Ianto loved so much from his husband.

The drive home was hot and steamy with Ianto rubbing Jack's thigh to encourage the accelerator, and as they swung into their street Ianto was so hot under the collar he was making delicious whining noises that left the dessert for dead, as far as Jack was concerned.

A strange car was parked in their driveway, and Jack swore softly as he would have to carry Ianto into the house, something Ianto loathed.

The raised voices from inside the house had Jack moving quickly, dumping Ianto into the backup chair in the foyer instead of retrieving the modern one, and he tore through the house to the backyard where World War Three was under way.

Myfanwy had hold of a man by his leg and he was screaming hoarsely, indicating that she had been at him for a while. Gray lay unconscious at Rhia's feet as she snarled at the man trying to dislodge Walter from her arms.

Another man was bouncing on the balls of his feet as he egged on the man struggling with the heavily pregnant woman.

"Dan, come on man. We gotta … ah, fuck!" the bouncing man swore as Jack exploded onto the patio.

"Get your bloody hands off my son you fucking bastard!" Jack roared as he swung at Daniel Hallett, driving him back down the steps with a strong right hook.

"Oi! He's not your kid ya Nancy b…" Bouncy got a biff to the side of his head as well while Jack thundered past him to kick the cousin of Walter's mother in the gut as he lay on the ground at the base of the steps.

The sound of a gun cocking made everyone stop, and they turned with surprise as the chewed on man aimed his gun at Myfanwy's head.

A gunshot echoed in the evening air and Ianto screamed from inside the house as he struggled with the wheelchair to reach his family.

The chewy man was screaming with a different pitch as his shattered hand spouted blood onto the lawn. John Hart swaggered into the light spilling from the French door and sneered at the injured man.

"That's Walter's dog you little piss-ant!" John snarled as he re-aimed the gun at Daniel Hallett.

"Walter!" Ianto finally managed to get to the doors, and Rhia let Walter down. He ran to his Taddy and burst into tears as he crawled into his lap.

"Ah fuck! A cripple? We're stealing a kid from a cripple?" Bouncy was horrified and he swung at Daniel. "You lying piece of shit. You said he was a kiddy fiddler!"

"I am not abusing my son. Nor am I suffering from AIDS, as Lisa's parents alleged. I am recovering from a fall but that does not hinder my ability to cause you little shits harm!" Ianto said with a frighteningly calm voice.

"Toto? Fuck! A Hoodlum. You brought me to the feet of a fucking Hoodlum?" Bouncy man was now far too pale for a black man, and Ianto almost felt sorry for him. Almost.


	54. Chapter 54

Chap 54

"Take your shit-for-brains pals and get out of my sight before I tell Idris you're fucking with his favourite little nephew, aye boyo?" Ianto warned, and the bouncy man froze with wide eyes as a soft laugh was heard in the shadows.

"No need, little brother, I'm here," Idris spoke from the darkness and Ianto raised an eyebrow as the party really got started.

"Idris, look, this is not how it looks, I mean …" Bouncy was nearly in tears as he backed away from the Hoodlum that was slowly advancing.

Ianto fancied that he could hear the _Jaws_ theme as Idris slowly smiled. "Tell ya's what. You get a fifteen minute head start. Run, little rabbits."

Bouncy and Daniel fled into the night and the sound of them thumping into the fence before they scaled it made Idris snort. He then turned to look at Chewy, who lay bleeding on the ground.

"You think it's mortal? I can put him out of his misery for you," John offered, and Idris snorted as Chewy started crawling away.

"Idris. Let him go," Ianto called out, then he looked down at the man like a god might study an insect, "but get his wallet. Might be nice to know who he is."

John struggled briefly for the wallet and opened it with a flourish. "Name, address, video store membership, whoa! What's this?"

John was pulling something from the wallet, and his grin faded to a frown as he looked down at something.

"What is it?" Ianto asked, motioning Jack over to look.

Jack plucked it from John's hand and looked up at Ianto with open dread. "It's a photo of Walter at his school."

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The revelation that Walter was being stalked by the Halletts was more than enough to trigger a meltdown of epic proportions.

Gray was sitting on the sofa with an icepack to his throbbing head as Jack ranted down the phone at Gwen. Owen and Tosh had been called in and were both sitting by Ianto, who was hugging Walter to him like he was a life preserver on the _Titanic_.

Owen was all for going after them with pitchforks but Jack wanted to go the more sedate route of the justice system. Idris watched silently, one hand on Ianto's shoulder as he waited to see what the verdict would be.

The hand that covered his was warm and soft. The elegant fingers that squeezed affectionately sent the warmth straight to his heart. Ianto didn't speak, he didn't even turn his head, but Idris got the message. He slipped out the doors and into the night, leaving as he had arrived.

Jack paused in his rant as he noticed the absence of Ianto's brother-in-law and he looked over at John, who shook his head at Jack in silent warning. _Leave it._

Owen and Gray also shared a silent look as they quietly agreed to stay out of it - blood was about to be spilled and they knew which team to be on.


	55. Chapter 55

Chap 55

The Heddlu arrived the next morning full of bluster. The police officer stormed up to the door and rapped loudly, adjusting his uniform as he waited.

Ianto wheeled to the door and opened it, looking up from his chair at the officious twat in blue. The officer stared back with equal surprise. Ianto moved the chair back and invited him in as the second officer reached the steps.

They mutely followed him into the main room, where Jack was reading a report as he lounged on the sofa. Jack looked up over his glasses and Ianto grinned with a wink at his sexy husband oozing sex appeal by the bucketful.

The two officers had stopped moving, taken by the view of Jack in his white shirt with the top buttons undone. He looked perfectly edible, and Jack smothered a giggle as one of the officers licked his lips _. Ah, you can always tell. Gay-dar still working then_.

Jack smiled pleasantly as he waved them into seats. Ianto offered coffee and was politely declined so he rolled over to be close to Jack and settled to listen.

The Halletts had laid complaints. All of them. Quite a list really. Ianto counted silently as the different names were read and he struggled to put faces to names.

"Wait, Diggerly? I don't remember there ever being a Diggerly Hallett!" Ianto frowned as he demanded more information.

"He is … ah, let's see," the officer took a moment to review his notes, "second cousin to Lisa Hallett."

"Oh? Diggerly, Diggerly." Ianto's mind went inward as he accessed his memory. "Diggly? Diggy! Right. The fat one who fell into the urinals at the reception!"

"Really?" Jack crowed, and Ianto laughed.

"Too much wine, too much girth, and not enough footing. Face first in the slops," Ianto giggled. "Wow, I've not thought about that for years. It was Daniel Hallett who accused me of deliberately tripping him up. Bloody fool. It wasn't even me in there, it was my cousin Sean."

Jack snorted and motioned for the officer to continue. They were told of vandalised cars, smashed windows, and even a stolen yacht, disappeared right out of its moorings.

"Well, seems I have been busy." Ianto deadpanned to Jack, "Thank god I'm sitting down."

"Hoodlums. Some even graffitied their tags on the vehicles and houses they trashed," the second officer spoke for the first time, and Jack looked at him with a frown.

"So? Not us. Ianto?" Jack looked at his husband with a frown. "You been using that wheelchair to get up to no good again?"

"No? Honest, cariad. I only use it for drag racing at the weekend!" Ianto snarked back with mirth flashing in his eyes.

"Seriously? Show me your hands so I can check for paint!" Jack demanded, and Ianto laughed as he slapped at Jack.

"This is not a laughing latter, Mr Jones. They all name you in their complaints," the other one growled.

"Harkness-Jones. Ianto is my husband and I'll thank you to use his correct title," Jack snarled as he slid to the edge of the sofa, all games over.

"Well, then it would be Doctor, wouldn't it. God, I hated that title. Can you imagine? Fifteen years old and being called doctor?" Ianto sighed and shook his head at the memory.

"Harkness? Any relation to Captain Harkness?" the second officer asked as he turned to take a good look at Jack.

"My father was a captain. That's why I'm sometimes called Captain as well. I'm Jack Harkness." Jack took delight in the face palming that occurred as the officer swore softly.

"I'm sorry, seems I have some misinformation here. I was told that you are a Hoodlum with major ties to the kingpin, Idris." He finally sighed as he placed the report sheet on the coffee table.

"Idris was the partner of my brother who died a long time ago. He is a member of my family and a beloved uncle to my son. Lisa Hallett was my wife and after her death the family turned on me. It doesn't surprise me that they would blame me for any wrongdoing." Ianto shrugged. "Honestly though. Do I look up to … how many happenings?"

"Er, we have twelve separate incidents," the first officer supplied, and Ianto nodded.

"Well. Twelve. I'm not capable of even one unless they had ramps for me." Ianto waved at his chair with a grimace and the two officers shot to their feet. "Look, why would they tag their own names? Sounds like someone might be trying to set me up without thinking it through."

"Yes, well. Quite the dilemma," one huffed.

"Tell me about it. Poor Jack, I'm quite awkward when trying to get my leg over," Ianto droned innocently, and Jack snorted with mirth as he shepherded the men to the door.

"Random? Not random? Nothing to do with us. Sorry." Jack shut the door firmly and then turned to face Ianto with wide eyes.

"Well? Care to get your leg over?" Jack asked as he screwed up the paper left by the officers and flicked the ball into the wastepaper basket.

The two men giggled as they made a break for the bedroom, all thought of the Halletts consigned to the bin where they belonged.


	56. Chapter 56

Chap 56

Jack was loose-limbed and floating on a little cloud of happiness. Ianto had been as thoughtful and grateful as ever, their shag fest leaving them both spent and slightly sore.

Jack had ripped him from the chair and thrown him onto the bed. Ianto had giggled as he bounced, his limbs flopping as he gave in to the snarling beast ravaging his body.

Jack had kissed, licked and worshipped in such a delicious way that Ianto had sobbed through his release.

Now Jack lay more asleep than awake as he listened to his husband breathing beside him.

The leg thrown across him was a surprise, as was the bite to his shoulder.

"Don't mind me, cariad," Ianto growled in that wonderful deep rumble, "just getting me leg over."

Jack erupted with stomach jiggling laughter as Ianto slithered his way over Jack's hip to settle between his legs. A finger breeched Jack before he realised what was happening.

 _God, Ianto was going to fuck him._

Jack moaned with delight as another finger joined in the fun while Ianto bit and licked at his throat.

"Yes, please, oh, god baby, please!" Jack was an even more vocal bottom than top, which Ianto loved.

Ianto breached Jack with his own cry of pleasure and he fucked his husband solidly into the mattress.

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Once Jack was sure Ianto was asleep, he snuck from the room to get a drink. He heard the key in the lock and turned in time to see Walter explode into the house with his school bag, jacket and several paintings scattered as he shed them in favour of a hug from his Daddy.

Jack dropped to his knees and held him close, covering his face with kisses as Walter giggled.

"Hello brother of mine," Gray chirped as he cleaned up the terror's mess.

"Hey Gray," Jack grinned back as he squeezed Walter until he squeaked.

"Don't you look like the cat that got … oh?" Gray leered. "Really? During the day?"

"Come on Gray, you can't deny me a bit of afternoon delight," Jack laughed as Walter left his arms to look for Ianto. "He's asleep in bed, little beastie."

"Is Taddy OK?" Walter clasped his little hands together and Jack sighed at the fear on his wee face.

"Come here Cuddle-bum." Jack sat on the sofa and Walter snuggled in.

"I know things have been pretty tough for you lately. Poor Taddy got sick and then you both had the accident …No! It was an accident, Walt. I don't blame you and Taddy sure doesn't," Jack growled as Walter went to protest.

"You are a good boy and I could not wish for a better son." Jack held him close and smelt his hair. Green apples. "Taddy isn't sick anymore and his legs are getting stronger all the time. Did I tell you I was stupid the other night and made him mad? So mad he stood up out of his chair to tell me off?"

Walter's eyes widened as he searched Jack's face to see if he was being truthful.

"Taddy will walk again soon?" Walter asked with an eagerness that tore at Jack's heart.

"Yes bubs." Jack pulled him back into his chest and sighed, "Taddy is going to be fine. We'll make sure of it."


	57. Chapter 57

Chap 57

Ianto woke to the weight of Walter on the bed as he crawled up to climb in. Ianto registered his nakedness beneath the sheets and lifted the top cover, allowing a fully clothed Walter in without giving away his afternoon's activities.

"Me and Taddy had a talk," Walter mumbled into Ianto's neck as they snuggled down.

"Really bug? What about? Chickens? Rats? No … no. Let me guess. You both worked out why the bin man only half empties the bin once a month?" Ianto gasped, and Walter giggled as he poked at Ianto.

"Silly Taddy. You can be funny," Walter deadpanned, and Ianto revelled in his own likeness being presented to him.

"No, Daddy said you will walk again and then it'll all be OK again." Walter grinned and Ianto hugged him.

"Lots of cuddles today." Walter hummed as he snuggled in more.

"I'm sorry punk, you've missed some lately." Ianto reached out and stroked his baby's face.

"Maybe this weekend we'll go for a special trip. You, me, and Daddy. We'll go to a museum or a library or …" Ianto promised.

"Toyland?" Walter interrupted, and Ianto heard a snort from the doorway.

"Wow! Taddy walked straight into that one, stinky Cuddle-bum!" Jack laughed.

"Well, I suppose a movie and then lunch at Toyland would be a doable thing," Ianto relented, and Jack whooped louder than their son.

"Can I pick the movie?" Jack begged, clasped hands and wide eyes.

"No Daddy! You pick silly blowy up ones!" Walter glared and Ianto giggled behind his hand as Jack played with their son.

"Oh? What about the latest romantic comedy? We could cuddle and …"

"No kissing ones either!" Walter barked, his arms crossed across his chest.

"Oh? Well, not much left!" Jack huffed as he plonked himself on the edge of the bed with a huge pout.

"Taddy, what do you think?" Walter turned to the sane parent.

"Isn't there a new _Cars_ movie?" Ianto said, and Walter yelled as he leapt from the bed.

"It's on DVD now, can we buy it? Then I can watch it again at bedtimes." Walter now employed the clasped hands and big eyes as Jack grinned.

"Well, if we do that we can spend more time at Toyland," Jack finally said to Ianto, as if there were still a decision to be made.

"Oh? How long? I do get bored just sitting there." Ianto fake pouted and Walter's face changed to concern.

"Oh, poor Taddy," Walter crooned. "I didn't think of that. You could stay home."

Ianto realised that the imp was playing him, and roared with laughter as Jack gaped at the child for his moxie.

"I'm not going without Taddy!" Jack declared, and Walter rolled his eyes.

"Well, OK. We'll find a Taddy crèche or something," Walter said as he left the room, and the two men collapsed with gales of laughter.


	58. Chapter 58

Chap 58

It was a wonderful Saturday. The DVD was found in the shop at Toyland and Ianto even relented and let a few new toys fall into the basket as Walter pretended to drop them in by mistake.

Jack got stuck in one of the ball chutes and Walter had to push him out while berating his big "Daddy Bum Butt" and Ianto nearly fell from his chair as he roared with laughter.

He sent the video from the phone to their friends and got several answers. Most included the phrase "LOL".

Jack finally admitted defeat and let Walter play as he collapsed into the seat by Ianto.

Ianto slid a large cup of soda over and Jack gulped it down with a grateful wink.

Walter was in his element with more than one child following him with worshipping eyes as he showed his father's DNA with death-defying leaps and dives into the foam cubed pit.

"I could do that!" Jack declared, pointing with the straw of his drink, as Walter pretended to be shot by another kid and fell to his doom for about the eighteenth time.

"Yes dear," Ianto tried to say convincingly but his eyes twinkled a bit too much.

"Right!" Jack barked, getting to his feet.

Ianto groaned and watched his husband storm over to the edge of the pit. Walter ordered the children to stand back and reached for his father's coat as Jack removed it with a magician's flourish.

Ianto wheeled closer to get a better shot and held the camera steady as Jack looked over at him and waved.

"Go cariad … kill it!" Ianto yelled with glee.

Jack took a moment to centre with diva-like poise, then motioned that he was about to begin.

"No!" he shouted with fear as he pedalled backwards, his hands out. "Don't. I'm sorry."

Walter hugged the coat and giggled at his Daddy as he continued the game.

"Never! I will never give up my husband. I love him!" Jack spat with a fierce loyalty and the camera shook slightly as Ianto giggled.

"No! Think of my baby boy. He needs me and my husband … oh god. He's so gorgeous he needs me to shield him from all those whores trying to get into his pants!" Jack was on a roll. "He's mine!"

Jack pulled himself up to his full height and stared at the spot where the gunman was supposed to be. "You'll just have to kill me then! I will die before I tell you where they are!"

Walter shouted, "BANG!"

Jack grunted and grabbed at his chest, then he flew back into the pit. Ianto screamed with mirth as several staff tried to get him out but with only his boots sticking out it was a bit difficult.

Ianto's phone rang and Ianto answered shakily due to the laughter. "Hello?"

"It's OK baby. I'm just upside down." Jack thought Ianto was crying, which only made it worse. "I can't bloody see in here. These things smell like ….ew, the kids don't pee in here, do they?"

"Jack? Are you serious?" Ianto asked slowly.

"Argh, I swear to you … I smell pee!" Jack snarled, and Ianto's giggles carried down the line.

"Yan? Are you laughing?" Jack asked quietly as the staff returned with ropes.

"No darling, I'm just a bit-" Ianto struggled for the right word- "overwrought."

"Not too much for you, babe?" Jack asked, then, "What the fuck is that noise?"

"A staff member is being lowered by rope to help you out," Ianto said, "harness and everything. The squeaking is the pulley system in the roof. Must have happened before."

"OOooo, boy or girl? Hot?" Jack leered down the phone, and Ianto snorted.

"Well, once the acne clears up and puberty is finished … maybe, darling." Ianto was amazed he could say it calmly, and Jack huffed.

"I think I'm slipping deeper, love," Jack squeaked, and Ianto dropped the phone and strained to see the boots disappear into the foam pit, and Walter stood at the edge of the pit with his hands on his hips as he shouted down at his father to stop being so bloody silly.


	59. Chapter 59

Chap 59

Ianto woke to the sound of his phone vibrating across the bedside table and Jack pinning him to the mattress.

They were both loose-limbed in their slumber, still entwined from their goodnight cuddles after some mind-blowing sex in the bath. He glared at the phone before realising the time.

He reached for it and caught it deftly before it could leap to its doom.

"What." He barked.

"Toto? I keep trying to get Jack but his phone is ringing out," Gray whined down the phone, and Ianto yawned as he scratched a spot under his chin.

"It's probably still in the pocket of his trousers on the floor. You know he never checks his pockets." Ianto shifted in the bed as Jack muttered something unintelligible and hugged him tighter.

Ianto could hear something in the background, and frowned as he recognised the sound. He sat up and pushed Jack off him. Jack grunted and rolled over, presenting his back to Ianto.

"Gray, put me on speaker so I can talk to her," Ianto said slowly.

"It's too soon, her due date's not for another week. It's got to be Braxton Hicks again," Gray shrieked, and Ianto growled down the phone, turning on the bedside lamp.

The fumbling sound of Gray trying to hit the right button came down the line and Ianto shoved at Jack's back. Jack grunted and reached out to shove him back.

Ianto put his phone on speaker and the unmistakable sound of Rhia screaming filled the bedroom.

"It's OK Rhia. We have the action plan in place. Everything is going to be as smooth as it always is," Ianto soothed her. "Just like with David and Mica. We'll just take it step by step."

As Ianto spoke he heard the thump of Jack hitting the floor as he realised what was happening. He listened to Jack's curses as Jack fumbled with his clothes on the floor, searching for his phone.

"Rhia, I'm good. You're good. Gray, get the grab-bag," Ianto instructed.

Jack held up the phone with a bark of triumph and Ianto smiled fondly at his husband. Jack hit the speed dial for Owen, who lived with Tosh; their flat was only three minutes from Rhia and Gray's house.

"How far apart, sweets?" Ianto asked, and she swore, then grunted.

There was a loud thumping noise and Ianto asked, "Did he just run into the doorframe?"

"FUCK!" Rhia yelled, then panted softly.

"Time?" Ianto repeated, and she sighed.

"Three minutes."

Jack placed Ianto's clothes on the bed and took off to get Walter.

"Owen and Tosh should be knocking on the door any minute. We're leaving as soon as I get some trousers on and … What the hell is that noise?" Ianto frowned at the whining in the background.

"The silly bastard has broken his nose …" Rhia snarled, "You get any blood on my carpet and I'll fucking kill you, Harkness!"


	60. Chapter 60

Chap 60

Ianto slapped a hand over his mouth so she couldn't hear the laughter, and he looked over at Jack, who stood in the doorway with a blanket full of Walter. Jack walked closer and took the phone so Ianto could get dressed as Walter snoozed on the bed.

"Gray? Are you OK?" Jack reached for Ianto's hand and levered him off the bed.

"Broke ma nose," Gray mumbled, and Jack groaned.

"Ah, poor baby. You got some frozen peas or something?"

"What the fuck about me, you bastards!" Rhia roared, and Jack heard his brother squeak.

"Baby! Gray squeaked," Jack said gleefully as Ianto finished dressing and reached for his cane.

He had found his left leg a bit harder to regain control of, but thanks to the physiotherapy since his fall, he was mobile again. Just in time, by the sound of it.

They raced for Rhia's and swung into the lane as the ambulance moved off. Jack leapt from the driver's seat of his car and pulled a sleeping Walter from the backseat. Tosh was waiting and held out her arms for the sleeping child. She quickly told him that Owen went with them in the ambulance and that everything was going OK.

They got to the hospital and headed for the front desk. As Jack opened his mouth to ask if Rhia was there, a scream echoed down the hall. Ianto grunted and turned towards the sound, recognising his sister's temper anywhere.

Gray was sitting by her bed holding an icepack to his swollen nose as she groaned with pain. Ianto hobbled over to the other side and she snatched at his chest. Ianto calmly leant over her so she could grab him and shake him with a snarl.

Jack watched with wonder. Ianto had warned him that she was a violent labourer, and he looked at his brother again. He frowned as he wondered if Gray had really hit the doorframe or something had hit Gray.

Like a certain Welshwoman's fist.

The contractions grew closer and Jack retreated to the waiting room, where Owen was calmly waiting with the Harkness and Jones parents. Owen refused to deliver the baby, openly admitting that he found Rhia scary.

Jack hugged his mother as Ianto's Tad was fussing over the poor quality of the coffee from the machine.

Jack smiled as he watched Ianto's mannerisms reflected in his Taddy relieve the tension for everyone else. It was nearly half an hour later when Ianto emerged, limping badly, with exhaustion evident in his face.

Jack rose to meet him and Ianto leaned against him, breathing in Jack's wonderful scent. Still salty sea breeze with a hint of cinnamon donuts.

"OK babe?" Jack asked softly, and Ianto hummed into his neck.

"They're just on the home stretch now. I wanted it to be Gray's moment, his first," Ianto grinned as he tilted his head, asking for a kiss.

Jack obliged with grabbing hands until a bit of throat clearing from more than one person reminded them where they were. Ianto blushed a lovely shade of pink as Jack openly leered.

Jack led Ianto to a chair, and Ianto collapsed into it with a huff of relief.

"So she's doing OK?" Eugene asked, plucking at his boy's sleeve.

"Yeah. Like a trooper. Poor Gray is a bit intense though," Ianto snorted, "poor bugger. Scared to rub her back, scared not to when she roars. Scared to kiss her but desperate to. She's as mental as ever." 

Jack knelt and placed his hands on Ianto's knees, leaning in for another quick peck.

"And you?" Jack whispered as their lips parted.

"Aching a bit, but nothing like my sister right now," Ianto whispered back as he stroked Jack's cheek with his fingers.

Everyone looked up as Gray raced into the room, wide-eyed and gasping like a fish out of water.

"It's happened. She's here. Oh, Jack, she's a little girl!"


	61. Chapter 61

Chap 61

After everyone had stopped laughing, Gray went back in. Ianto watched his father hugging his Taddy, and Jack watched his mother and father squeezing each other's hands.

Jack had never thought of his parents as repressed. Lots of good morning kisses and loving touches, but until Ianto he had never noticed how little they actually supported each other. Dad had his life and Mom had hers. They only saw each other at breakfast and dinner.

He wondered if they even had sex anymore. God, did they still love each other?

Jack looked back at Ianto, who not only had hold of Jack's hand, he had it clasped to his chest.

"I love you," Jack blurted, and Ianto's smile was so wide that it lit up the room.

"Oh, cariad. You softie!" Ianto said. "I adore you too."

Gray appeared with a little bundle in his arms, and Ianto gasped as a small pink hand was visible, clutching his finger.

He placed her in his mother's arms and she wept as her granddaughter peered up at her. Then Mrs Harkness handed her to the weeping granddaddies to pass about while Jack peered eagerly at his niece.

Finally, she was placed in Ianto's lap and he carefully unwrapped her. She was wearing the small jumpsuit Jack and Ianto had given Rhia and Gray for the grab-bag. The pale pink material was dotted with dark pink roses; she looked like a china doll.

"Hello poppet," Ianto crooned as she blinked back.

"Look, she has your eyes, Ianto." Jack was in love, his niece stealing more of his heart with each blink.

People were talking but Ianto only heard the small intake of breath as she yawned, her little gummy mouth moving and her lips smacking as she blinked again.

"What name did you choose?" Ianto asked as he stared at her.

"Aurora-Lee Gene Harkness," Gray preened.

"Aurora-Lee? Gorgeous. A dawn born just before today's first light!" Jack crooned, and Ianto looked up finally.

"Jean?"

"Gene. G.E.N.E. For Eugene." Gray smiled, while Ianto's face fell as he thought of his lost brother.

"Oh, my brother would have loved you, princess," Ianto sniffed, cuddling her closer.

"Harkness? Better get that marriage licence sorted out - my sister is not going to be an unwed mother!" Ianto growled, and Gray laughed.

"We were thinking a spring wedding, so she can be big enough to be there for the day." Gray grinned as he looked down at his baby.

"In our garden?" Ianto asked with his face full of hope. "My pergola?"

"Yep. We want you to do it!" Gray nodded enthusiastically.

"Perfect," Jack declared, and Ianto could only nod in agreement as the colours of the wakening sun splashed across the sky outside the window.

Dawn for Aurora-Lee.

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 **NB I will leave this one here. Thanks for reading, please take the time to let me know if any other storeis need to be closed out.**

 **Thank you.**


	62. Chapter 62

**The light turned green and the vehicle in front took off, Ianto slid the car into gear and followed. The crunch of metal and flying sensation was ominously familiar and he found himself calling out for Jack as his car spun several times from the impact.**

For those of you who have chosen to follow Walter … his life is ever changing and Walter 3 is upon us.

Thank you for supporting, cajoling and threatening to put your foot up my arse if I don't snap out of it.

I love you all.


End file.
